projectile
projectile — noun
- projectilesingular
- projectilesplural
1. something sent forcefully across open space, either by hand (like a rock) or fro
something sent forcefully across open space, either by hand (like a rock) or from a device (like a bullet, arrow, or rocket)
A soldier fired a projectile at a target two hundred meters away during drill.
verb + a projectile; collocation: fire a projectile at a target
Police officers found a metal projectile embedded in the wall of an old school building.
passive: projectile embedded in [surface]
In physics class, Linnea calculated how far a projectile launched at forty-five degrees would travel.
The museum exhibited projectile weapons from ancient Roman spears to modern guided missiles.
A stray projectile from a nearby construction site shattered the windshield of Wei's delivery van.
- missile
broader term covering both thrown objects and self-propelled rockets; 'missile' is now used mostly for guided weapons
- bullet
specific to small metal projectiles fired from a gun; narrower than 'projectile'
- shot
can mean the act of firing or the small pellets used in shotguns; less precise as a synonym
- round
technically a complete cartridge (casing, powder, primer, and projectile), but often used to mean the projectile itself
文法句型
projectile + verb (hits, strikes, travels)
verb + a projectile (fire, launch, throw)
用法筆記
Countable noun. Can describe anything thrown or fired through the air — from a stone in a slingshot to a rocket launched into space.
常見錯誤
projectile — adjective
- projectilepositive
- more projectilecomparative
- most projectilesuperlative
1. describing a weapon or device that throws or shoots an object forward with great
describing a weapon or device that throws or shoots an object forward with great force, or relating to the way such objects move through the air
The army will test a new projectile weapon that fires explosive shells over twenty kilometres.
attributive use: projectile weapon
Ancient projectile devices such as the javelin required years of practice to throw with accuracy.
collocation: projectile device
A team of NASA engineers is studying projectile motion inside a zero-gravity chamber.
Modern projectile technology has made warfare far more destructive for civilians in urban areas.
The crossbow was one of the earliest projectile tools used by hunters in medieval Europe.
- propelling
focuses on the pushing force; less common than 'projectile' in weapon contexts
- launching
emphasises the act of sending something upward or forward; used more for rockets than general weapons
- throwing
simpler and more general, but not used in technical or military writing
文法句型
projectile + noun (weapon, motion, device, technology)
用法筆記
Attributive only — always placed before the noun it modifies (projectile weapon, projectile motion). Cannot be used as a predicate adjective (it is not correct to say *this weapon is projectile).