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salvo

1 American  
[sal-voh] / ˈsæl voʊ /

noun

plural

salvos, salvoes

  1. a simultaneous or successive discharge of artillery, bombs, etc.

  2. a round of fire given as a salute.

  3. a round of cheers or applause.

salvo 2 American  
[sal-voh] / ˈsæl voʊ /

noun

Archaic.

plural

salvos

  1. an excuse or quibbling evasion.

  2. something to save a person's reputation or soothe a person's feelings.

salvo 1 British  
/ ˈsælvəʊ /

noun

  1. a discharge of fire from weapons in unison, esp on a ceremonial occasion

  2. concentrated fire from many weapons, as in a naval battle

  3. an outburst, as of applause

"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
salvo 2 British  
/ ˈsælvəʊ /

noun

  1. an excuse or evasion

  2. an expedient to save a reputation or soothe hurt feelings

  3. (in legal documents) a saving clause; reservation

"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
Salvo 3 British  
/ ˈsælvəʊ /

noun

  1. slang a member of the Salvation Army

"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

Etymology

Origin of salvo1

1585–95; earlier salva < Italian ≪ Latin salvē salve 3

Origin of salvo2

1635–45; < Latin salvō, ablative of salvus safe, found in legal phrases

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But Scotland scored 40 unanswered points after falling behind against France last week and they were unmoved by Ireland's early salvo as they expertly navigated 19 phases before Graham scampered clear in the corner.

From BBC

Iranian state media published a statement Thursday that it attributed to its new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, his first since replacing his father, who was killed in the opening salvo of the war.

From The Wall Street Journal

The IDF also said its defence systems had operated to intercept more salvos of Iranian missiles.

From BBC

The UAE and Qatar both said they had intercepted drone and missile salvos on Wednesday, with Abu Dhabi saying it had been targeted by three ballistic missiles and 129 drones, intercepting all but eight drones.

From Barron's

Daoud said he expected Hezbollah to sit out the fight unless its patron was in existential peril, but added that what he called the group’s “measly opening salvo” made little strategic sense.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.