noun. Any of various military machines used for hurling missiles, such as large stones or spears, in ancient and medieval times.

noun. A mechanism for launching aircraft at a speed sufficient for flight, as from the deck of a carrier.

noun. A slingshot.

intransitive verb. To hurl or launch from a catapult.

intransitive verb. To hurl or launch by means other than a catapult.

intransitive verb. To bring suddenly into prominence.

intransitive verb. To be catapulted or hurled.

intransitive verb. To jump or spring.

To hurl, as a missile, as from a catapult.

To shoot at with a catapult: as, to catapult birds.

To use a catapult in hurling missiles.

noun. In Roman antiquity, a military engine used to throw darts of great size, called phalarica or trifax.

noun. A small forked stick to each prong of which is attached an elastic band, generally provided with a piece of leather in the middle, used by boys for throwing small missiles, such as stones, peas, paper pellets, and the like.

noun. An engine somewhat resembling a massive crossbow, used by the ancient Greeks and Romans for throwing stones, arrows, spears, etc.

noun. A forked stick with elastic band for throwing small stones, etc.

noun. A device or weapon for throwing or launching large objects, such as a mechanical aid on aircraft carriers designed to help airplanes take off from the flight deck.

noun. slingshot

noun. An instance of firing a missile from a catapult.

noun. An instance of firing something, as if from a catapult.

verb. To fire a missile from a catapult.

verb. To fire or launch something, as if from a catapult.

verb. To increase the status of something rapidly.

verb. To be fired from a catapult or as if from a catapult.

verb. To have one's status increased rapidly.

verb. shoot forth or launch, as if from a catapult

noun. a device that launches aircraft from a warship

verb. hurl as if with a sling

noun. an engine that provided medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine for hurling large stones and other missiles

noun. a plaything consisting of a Y-shaped stick with elastic between the arms; used to propel small stones

""Now, why do I think that's not what we mean by the term catapult?""

ballista  crossbow  onager  siege engine  trebuchet  

catapeltic  

cast  device  engine  hurl  hurtle  

autoclave  ballistae  calliope  canners  condensate  

arbalest  ballista  booster rocket  bowl  cast  

catapulted  catapultic  catapulting  catapults