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water cannon

American

noun

a truck-mounted hose or pipe that shoots a jet of water through a nozzle at extremely high pressure, used especially in dispersing rioters or demonstrators.

water cannon British

noun

an apparatus for pumping water through a nozzle at high pressure, used in quelling riots

"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 water cannon

First recorded in 1965–70

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.

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water cannon

Numerous riot police vans could be seen in France's second city of Marseille, along with armoured vehicles and water cannon.

From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026

Police clashed with demonstrators in Lyon, used tear gas in Paris and Marseille and water cannon in Rennes, but there was little of the serious trouble that marred previous protests.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

Two other ships, the BRP Datu Cabaylo and the BRP Cape San Agustin, were also targeted with water cannon but not hit, the coast guard said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

The 1,200-square-foot Ship Wreck House has three decks and pirate details, such as a water cannon and secret passageway leading to a treasure-themed chamber with a skeleton and a chest of doubloons.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

It hit Artemis then, like a blast from a water cannon.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer

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