cannon

[ kan-uhn ]

See synonyms for cannon on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural can·nons, (especially collectively) can·non.

a mounted gun for firing heavy projectiles; a gun, howitzer, or mortar.
British Machinery. quill (def. 10).

Armor. a cylindrical or semicylindrical piece of plate armor for the upper arm or forearm; a vambrace or rerebrace.
Also called cannon bit, canon bit. a round bit for a horse.
the part of a bit that is in the horse's mouth.
(on a bell) the metal loop by which a bell is hung.
Zoology.
- cannon bone.
- the part of the leg in which the cannon bone is situated.
British. a carom in billiards.
Underworld Slang. a pickpocket.

verb (used without object)

to discharge cannon.
British. to make a carom in billiards.

Origin of cannon

First recorded in 1375–1425 (earlier in Anglo-Latin, Anglo-French ); late Middle English canon, from Middle French, from Italian cannone, equivalent to cann(a) “tube” (from Latin ) + -one augmentative suffix; see cane

Words that may be confused with cannon

cannon , canon

Words Nearby cannon

Other definitions for Cannon (2 of 2)

Cannon

[ kan-uhn ]

noun

Annie Jump [juhmp], /dʒʌmp/, 1863–1941, U.S. astronomer.
Joseph Gur·ney [gur-nee], /ˈgɜr ni/, "Uncle Joe", 1836–1926, U.S. politician and legislator.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cannon in a sentence

cannon is only a few years into his climbing obsession, while Hudon’s career reaches back to the 1970s.
Stream These 5 Highlights from the Banff Film Festival | Erin Berger | November 26, 2020 | Outside Online
When she came into office in 2019, Bunker said there was no open hostility towards her or cannon.
Trans, non-binary candidates make history in state legislative races | Parker Purifoy | November 18, 2020 | Washington Blade
cannon said this was the first time she was asked to run for office but declined because her own business was in peril during the economic crisis.
Trans, non-binary candidates make history in state legislative races | Parker Purifoy | November 18, 2020 | Washington Blade
When the time was right, he used a sledgehammer to remove the end of the cylinder, sending puffed rice shooting out like a cannon.
The Rise and Fall of the Rice Cake, America’s One-Time Favorite Health Snack | Brenna Houck | September 17, 2020 | Eater
In some areas, police used water cannons and they also used tear gas.
Podcast: How a 135-year-old law lets India shutdown the internet | Anthony Green | September 2, 2020 | MIT Technology Review

The lack of a cannon is a particular problem, as the F-35 is being counted on to help out infantrymen under fire.
New U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019 | Dave Majumdar | December 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Another common prank was to spin the cannon in the direction of the major, causing him to leap out of the way.
Stonewall Jackson, VMI’s Most Embattled Professor | S. C. Gwynne | November 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
I went to Abilene and in the course of the day spent some time with Jim cannon, who was a Rockefeller aide for a number of years.
This Republican Loved Taxes & Modern Art | Scott Porch | November 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
As a prolific and early entry in the cannon of television drama, The Twilight Zone never fully disappeared from the airwaves.
How a War-Weary Vet Created ‘The Twilight Zone’ | Rich Goldstein | November 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
On some days there have been more police water-cannon trucks and riot shields on show than tanks.
When ISIS Is An Excuse For A Police State | Jamie Dettmer | October 18, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Many of their cannon balls that fell far short of us, were collected and returned to them with powerful effect.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV. | Various
She had never had this curiosity in relation to George cannon--she had only wondered about his affairs with other women.
Hilda Lessways | Arnold Bennett
They were provided with sails and twelve oars each, and a falconet, or small brass cannon.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel Munsell
The white men served their smoking cannon with a wild energy that, for a time, made the gallant nine equal to a thousand.
The Red Year | Louis Tracy
The British had fired 143 cannon shot into the fort before the arrival of Gen. Clay.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel Munsell

British Dictionary definitions for cannon

cannon

/ (ˈkænən) /

nounplural -nons or -non

an automatic aircraft gun of large calibre
history a heavy artillery piece consisting of a metal tube mounted on a carriage

a heavy tube or drum, esp one that can rotate freely on the shaft by which it is supported
the metal loop at the top of a bell, from which it is suspended
See cannon bone
billiards
- a shot in which the cue ball is caused to contact one object ball after another
- the points scored by this: Usual US and Canadian word: carom
a rebound or bouncing back, as of a ball off a wall
either of the two parts of a vambrace

verb

(intr often foll by into) to collide (with)
short for cannonade

(intr) billiards to make a cannon

Origin of cannon

C16: from Old French canon, from Italian cannone cannon, large tube, from canna tube, cane 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for Cannon

Cannon

[ kăn′ən ]

American astronomer noted for her work on classifying stellar spectra. Cannon classified the spectra of 225,300 stars brighter than magnitude 8.5, as well as 130,000 fainter stars.

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