Adjacent Words

Ballistic definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

BALLIS'TIC, a. [L. balista, an engine to throw stones, or shoot darts, from Gr.to throw or shoot.] Pertaining to the balista, or to the art of shooting darts, and other missive weapons, by means of an engine.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: relating to or characteristic of the motion of objects moving under their own momentum and the force of gravity; "ballistic missile"

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: Latin ballista Date: circa 1775 1. of or relating to ballistics or to a body in motion according to the laws of ballistics 2. being or characterized by repeated bouncing <ballistic stretching> 3. extremely and usually suddenly excited, upset, or angry ; wild <went ballistic> • ballistically adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 of or relating to projectiles. 2 moving under the force of gravity only. Phrases and idioms: ballistic missile a missile which is initially powered and guided but falls under gravity on its target. Derivatives: ballistically adv. Etymology: BALLISTA + -IC

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Ballistic Bal*lis"tic, a. 1. Of or pertaining to the ballista, or to the art of hurling stones or missile weapons by means of an engine. 2. Pertaining to projection, or to a projectile. Ballistic pendulum, an instrument consisting of a mass of wood or other material suspended as a pendulum, for measuring the force and velocity of projectiles by means of the arc through which their impact impels it.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. Ballistic means relating to ballistics. ...ballistic missiles... Ballistic tests have matched the weapons with bullets taken from the bodies of victims. ADJ: ADJ n 2. If someone goes ballistic, they suddenly become very angry. (INFORMAL) The singer went ballistic after one member of his band failed to show for a sound check. PHRASE: V inflects 3. If something goes ballistic, it suddenly becomes very much greater or more powerful, often in a surprising or unwanted way. (INFORMAL) August registrations have gone ballistic, accounting now for a quarter of the annual total. = mushroom PHRASE: V inflects