cannon

(kanən)

noun pl. cannons or cannon

    1. a large, mounted piece of artillery; sometimes, specif., a large gun with a relatively short barrel, as a howitzer
    2. an automatic gun, mounted on an aircraft
  1. a part on a bell by which it is hung
  2. cannon bone
  3. Mech. a hollow tube within which a shaft revolves independently of the outer tube
  4. Billiards, Brit. carom

Origin: ME & OFr canon < It cannone < canna: see cane; in cannon & , , altered < carom

transitive verb

  1. to attack with cannon fire
  2. Brit. to cause to carom

intransitive verb

  1. to fire cannon
  2. Brit. to make a carom

Cannon, Joseph Gurney 1836-1926; U.S. congressman

See cannon in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. cannon cannon or can·nons
  1. A large mounted weapon that fires heavy projectiles. Cannon include guns, howitzers, and mortars.
  2. The loop at the top of a bell by which it is hung.
  3. A round bit for a horse.
  4. Zoology The section of the lower leg in some hoofed mammals between the hock or knee and the fetlock, containing the cannon bone.
  5. Chiefly British A carom made in billiards.
verb can·noned, can·non·ing, can·nons
verb, transitive
  1. To bombard with cannon.
  2. Chiefly British To cause to carom in billiards.
verb, intransitive
  1. To fire cannon.
  2. Chiefly British To make a carom in billiards.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English canon

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Old Italian cannone

Origin: , augmentative of canna, tube

Origin: , from Latin, reed; see cane

.

American astronomer noted for her work on classifying stellar spectra.

, Joseph Gurney Known as “Uncle Joe.” 1836-1926.

American politician who as Republican speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (1903-1911) was known for his strongly partisan and autocratic use of authority.

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