missile


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missile

an object or weapon for throwing or shooting
Not to be confused with:
missal – a book of prayers or devotions
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

mis·sile

 (mĭs′əl, -īl′)
n.
1. An object or weapon that is fired, thrown, dropped, or otherwise projected at a target; a projectile.
2. A guided missile.
3. A ballistic missile.

[Latin, from neuter of missilis, able to be thrown, from missus, past participle of mittere, to let go, throw.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

missile

(ˈmɪsaɪl)
n
1. any object or weapon that is thrown at a target or shot from an engine, gun, etc
2. (Firearms, Gunnery, Ordnance & Artillery)
a. a rocket-propelled weapon that flies either in a fixed trajectory (ballistic missile) or in a trajectory that can be controlled during flight (guided missile)
b. (as modifier): a missile carrier.
[C17: from Latin: missilis, from mittere to send]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

mis•sile

(ˈmɪs əl; esp. Brit. -aɪl)

n.
1. an object or weapon that is thrown, shot, or otherwise propelled at a target, as a stone, bullet, arrow, or rocket.
adj.
4. capable of being used as a missile.
5. used for discharging missiles.
[1600–10; < Latin, neuter of missilis=mitt(ere) to send, throw + -tilis -tile]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

missile

- First an adjective meaning "suitable for throwing."
See also related terms for throwing.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.missile - a rocket carrying a warhead of conventional or nuclear explosivesmissile - a rocket carrying a warhead of conventional or nuclear explosives; may be ballistic or directed by remote control
air-to-air missile - a missile designed to be launched from one airplane at another
air-to-ground missile, air-to-surface missile - a missile designed to be launched from an airplane at a target on the ground
ballistic missile - a missile that is guided in the first part of its flight but falls freely as it approaches target
guided missile - a rocket-propelled missile whose path can be controlled during flight either by radio signals or by internal homing devices
heat-seeking missile - a missile with a guidance system that directs it toward targets emitting infrared radiation (as the emissions of a jet engine)
nose - a front that resembles a human nose (especially the front of an aircraft); "the nose of the rocket heated up on reentry"
rocket, projectile - any vehicle self-propelled by a rocket engine
sidewinder - air-to-air missile with infrared homing device
vane - a fin attached to the tail of an arrow, bomb or missile in order to stabilize or guide it
weapon, weapon system, arm - any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting; "he was licensed to carry a weapon"
2.missile - a weapon that is forcibly thrown or projected at a targets but is not self-propelledmissile - a weapon that is forcibly thrown or projected at a targets but is not self-propelled
arrow - a projectile with a straight thin shaft and an arrowhead on one end and stabilizing vanes on the other; intended to be shot from a bow
boomerang, throw stick, throwing stick - a curved piece of wood; when properly thrown will return to thrower
bullet, slug - a projectile that is fired from a gun
cannon ball, cannonball, round shot - a solid projectile that in former times was fired from a cannon
dart - a small narrow pointed missile that is thrown or shot
seeker - a missile equipped with a device that is attracted toward some kind of emission (heat or light or sound or radio waves)
pellet, shot - a solid missile discharged from a firearm; "the shot buzzed past his ear"
spitball - a projectile made by chewing a piece of paper and shaping it into a sphere
weapon, weapon system, arm - any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting; "he was licensed to carry a weapon"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

missile

noun projectile, weapon, shell, rocket nuclear missiles

Missiles

cruise missile, Exocet, guided missile, ICBM or intercontinental ballistic missile, Minuteman, MIRV or multiple independently targeted re-entry vehicle, Patriot, Pershing, Polaris, rocket, Scud, SLBM or submarine-launched ballistic missile, SLCM or sea-launched cruise missile, SS-18, SS-20, standoff missile, Trident, V-1, doodlebug, buzz bomb, or flying bomb, V-2
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
صاروخقَذِيفَةٌقَذيفَه
střelaraketa
missilraket
rakett
ohjusrakettiammus
projektil
flugskeytikasthlutur; skeyti, skot
ミサイル
미사일
raketasvaidomasis daiktas/ginklas
raķetešāviņš
izstrelek
missilraket
ขีปนาวุธ
tên lửa

missile

[ˈmɪsaɪl]
A. N
1. (Mil) → misil m
guided missilemisil teledirigido
2. (= object thrown) → proyectil m
B. CPD missile base Nbase f de misiles
missile launcher Nlanzamisiles m inv
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

missile

[ˈmɪsaɪl] n
(= weapon) → missile m
(= object thrown) → projectile mmissile base nbase f de missilesmissile launcher nlance-missiles m inv
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

missile

n
(= stone, javelin etc)(Wurf)geschoss nt
(= rocket)Rakete f, → Flugkörper m (form)

missile

:
missile base
nRaketenbasis f
missile defence system (Brit), missile defense system (US)
missile launcher
nAbschuss- or Startrampe f; (= vehicle)Raketenwerfer m
missile site
nRaketenbasis f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

missile

[ˈmɪsaɪl] n (Mil) → missile m (frm) (projectile) → proiettile m
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

missile

(ˈmisail) noun
1. a weapon or object which is thrown or fired from a gun, bow etc.
2. a rocket-powered weapon carrying an explosive charge. a ground-to-air missile.
guided missile
a rocket-powered missile which is directed to its target by a built-in device or by radio waves etc.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

missile

قَذِيفَةٌ střela missil Raketengeschoss πύραυλος misil ohjus missile projektil missile ミサイル 미사일 projectiel missil pocisk míssil ракета missil ขีปนาวุธ füze tên lửa 导弹
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
References in classic literature ?
I never dreamed of it then as I watched; no one on earth dreamed of that unerring missile.
This, however, did not suit the ape-man, since Numa now suffered an occasional missile with no more than a snarl, while he settled himself to partake of his delayed feast.
Missile after missile Bulan rained down upon the struggling, howling Dyaks, until, seized by panic, they turned and fled incontinently down into the depths of the canyon and back along the narrow trail they had come, and then superstitious fear completed the rout that the flying rocks had started, for one whispered to another that this was the terrible Bulan and that he had but lured them on into the hills that he might call forth all his demons and destroy them.
He was a sneak and a thief, a mischief-maker, a fomenter of trouble; and irate squaws told him to his face, the while he eyed them alert and ready to dodge any quick-flung missile, that he was a wolf and worthless and bound to come to an evil end.
It is indeed disreputable for those who are equal, or nearly so, to the enemy, to endeavour to take refuge within their walls--but since it very often happens, that those who make the attack are too powerful for the bravery and courage of those few who oppose them to resist, if you would not suffer the calamities of war and the insolence of the enemy, it must be thought the part of a good soldier to seek for safety under the shelter and protection of walls more especially since so many missile weapons and machines have been most ingeniously invented to besiege cities with.
But the young inventor quickly elevated the muzzle, and the deadly missile went hissing through the air over the head of a native Indian who, at that moment, stepped from the bush.
The other, however, launched his missile, but the report of my gun had given him such a start that the arrow flew wild above my head.
With a cry John seized the branch of a tree, whipped the crutch out of his armpit, and sent that uncouth missile hurtling through the air.
As a faint spurt of flame rose from the point where the missile struck he swung over the side and was quickly upon the ground.
He did not stand stolidly baring his furry belly to the missile, and die with an upward glance at the sympathetic heavens.
"The price of the irresistible gun would have been much greater, your Majesty, but for the fact that its missiles can be so effectively averted by my peculiar method of treating the armour plates with a new- "
All these hardened and impenitent man-killers, to whom death in its awfulest forms is a fact familiar to their every-day observation; who sleep on hills trembling with the thunder of great guns, dine in the midst of streaming missiles, and play at cards among the dead faces of their dearest friends, - all are watching with suspended breath and beating hearts the outcome of an act involving the life of one man.