| 释义 |
▪ I. catapult, n.|ˈkætəpʌlt|
Forms: 6 catapelt, -pulte, 6– catapulta (only in sense 1), 7– catapult.
[a. F. catapulte or L. catapulta, a. Gr. καταπέλτης catapult, prob. f. κατά against + πάλλειν to hurl, cast, poise (a missile).]
1. An ancient military engine for discharging darts, stones, or other missiles; the motive power being obtained by a strong lever working on an axis, which was tightly strained with twisted ropes and suddenly released.
The ballista and catapulta were originally distinct, the former being used for throwing stones, etc., and the latter for darts; but afterwards the names were used synonymously.
1577Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619) 495 The great hollow Catapelts which shoote the darts from aloft. 1599Thynne Animadv. (1875) 41 The Ramme..farr different in forme from the magonell or catapulte. 1605Camden Rem. (1657) 206 When a catapult was first seen at Lacedemon, Archimedes exclaimed: O Hercules, now manhood is come to an end. 1732T. Lediard Sethos II. ix. 277 Catapulta's and battering rams. 1761Sterne Tr. Shandy III. xxiv, May my brains be knock'd out by a..catapulta. 1795Southey Joan of Arc viii. 533 The catapults Drove there their dreadful darts. 1829W. Irving Granada (1850) 338 The mangled body of the Moor was..thrown into the City from a catapult. 1850‘Bat’ Cricket-Man. 49 By the application of the Catapulta to peaceful purposes, the batting has been..improved. 1878B. Smith Carthage 392 The Matrons cut off their long hair and twisted it into ropes for the catapults.
2. An instrument consisting of a forked stick with an elastic band fastened to the two prongs, used to shoot small stones, bullets, peas, etc.
1871A. R. Hope Schoolboy Fr. (1875) 227 The holes seem to have been made by a catapult. 1887Manch. Guard. 7 May 9 He..shot the bird with a catapult. Mod. The police have orders to seize all catapults.
3. A mechanical contrivance by which aircraft are launched at a high speed; also attrib. So catapult launching, etc.
1927Daily Express 12 Dec. 11/4 Béarn, new aircraft carrier, will carry forty airplanes to be launched by a compressed air catapult at forty-seven miles per hour after a run of sixty-five feet along the deck. 1928Times 28 Aug. 12/6 Catapult Air Mail. 1929Air Ann. Brit. Empire 56 Catapult launching which has been successfully developed and can be used from ships. 1934Flight 15 Feb. 148/1 For use as a catapult ship on the South Atlantic route. 1940E. C. Shepherd Britain's Air Power 11 The aeroplane is set on the catapult carriage while its engine is started and run up. 1941W. S. Churchill Secret Session Speeches (1946) 39 A number of special vessels carrying catapult Hurricane aircraft are employed on patrolling duties. 1959Times 28 Apr. 11/7 Eagle..equipped to take the new generation of aircraft, made possible by the installation of steam catapults.
Hence cataˈpultic a., catapulˈtier, one who works a catapult (cf. fusilier, etc.).
1831J. Wilson in Blackw. Mag. XXIX. 306 Balls are showered upon them..from a hundred catapultic arms. 1859Helps Friends in C. Ser. ii. I. ii. 146 Flinging the ball with catapultic force. 1860Reade Cloister & H. xliii. (D.) The besiegers..sent forward their sappers, pioneers, catapultiers, and crossbowmen.
▪ II. ˈcatapult, v.
[f. prec. n.]
a. trans. To hurl as from a catapult. Also fig.
b. To shoot or shoot at with a catapult.
c. intr. To discharge a catapult.
1848Blackw. Mag. LXIII. 499 The throne itself was catapulted into the square. 1880Daily Tel. 17 Feb., Lovely creatures are catapulted into the air and fall down into a net. 1883D. Pryde Highways of Lit. ii. 30 He [a boy] catapults sparrows. 1929C. C. Martindale Risen Sun 202 Like a fresh breeze, thus to get the pure truth catapulted at you! 1944Blunden Cricket Country iv. 56 The second ball which T. catapulted down, swung out. 1959Times 13 Jan. 9/6 Modern technology is catapulting some aspects of Asian life into the twentieth century.
d. To discharge by means of a catapult contrivance. Cf. prec. 3.
1912Sci. Amer. 14 Dec. 512 (heading) Catapulting a Hydro-aeroplane from a Fighting Ship. 1928Daily Express 29 Aug. 8/2 The Post Office has just announced that for a special fee it will accept British letters and postcards for the United States on the understanding that before arriving in New York they are to be catapulted from the ship by seaplane. 1928Scotsman 30 Aug. 9/6 The aeroplane will be catapulted into the air on approaching the American coast. 1931Air Ann. Brit. Empire 318 The machine is a tractor biplane..capable of being catapulted from the deck. 1959Daily Tel. 23 Feb. 11/6 The rocket-powered North American X-15..will be catapulted from a B-36 bomber at 35–40,000 ft. and..may reach a height of 300 miles and a speed of 4,000 m.p.h.
e. intr. To fling oneself as though hurled by a catapult.
1928Daily Express 10 Apr. 5/2 Langley catapulted into the room and drove his axe through the window. 1962K. Orvis Damned & Destroyed xx. 148, I catapulted to my feet.
Hence ˈcatapulting vbl. n.
1881Chequered Career 5 The lead..we saved for catapulting, an amusement only indulged in by lower boys. 1938Jrnl. R. Aeronaut. Soc. XLII. 864 The German catapulting ships stationed in mid-ocean and forming seaplane stations. |