1.
[syn: fusillade, salvo, volley, burst]
2. a tennis return made by hitting the ball before it bounces;
VERB (5)
1. be dispersed in a volley;
- Example: "gun shots volleyed at the attackers"
2. hit before it touches the ground;
- Example: "volley the tennis ball"
3. discharge in, or as if in, a volley;
- Example: "the attackers volleyed gunshots at the civilians"
4. make a volley;
5. utter rapidly;
- Example: "volley a string of curses"
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Volley \Vol"ley\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Volleyed; p. pr. & vb.
n. Volleying.]
To discharge with, or as with, a volley.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Volley \Vol"ley\, v. i.
1. To be thrown out, or discharged, at once; to be discharged
in a volley, or as if in a volley; to make a volley or
volleys. --Tennyson.
[1913 Webster]
2.
(a) (Tennis) To return the ball before it touches the
ground.
(b)
(Cricket) To send the ball full to the top of the wicket.
--R. A. Proctor.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Volley \Vol"ley\, n.; pl. Volleys. [F. vol['e]e; flight, a
volley, or discharge of several guns, fr. voler to fly, L.
volare. See Volatile.]
1. A flight of missiles, as arrows, bullets, or the like; the
simultaneous discharge of a number of small arms.
[1913 Webster]
Fiery darts in flaming volleys flew. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
Each volley tells that thousands cease to breathe.
--Byron.
[1913 Webster]
2. A burst or emission of many things at once; as, a volley
of words. "This volley of oaths." --B. Jonson.
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Rattling nonsense in full volleys breaks. --Pope.
[1913 Webster]
3.
(a) (Tennis) A return of the ball before it touches the
ground.
(b) (Cricket) A sending of the ball full to the top of the
wicket.
[1913 Webster]
[1913 Webster]
Half volley.
(a) (Tennis) A return of the ball immediately after is has
touched the ground.
(b) (Cricket) A sending of the ball so that after touching
the ground it flies towards the top of the wicket.
--R. A. Proctor.
On the volley, at random. [Obs.] "What we spake on the
volley begins work." --Massinger.
Volley gun, a gun with several barrels for firing a number
of shots simultaneously; a kind of mitrailleuse.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
volley
n 1: rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms; "our fusillade
from the left flank caught them by surprise" [syn:
fusillade, salvo, volley, burst]
2: a tennis return made by hitting the ball before it bounces
[ant: ground stroke]
v 1: be dispersed in a volley; "gun shots volleyed at the
attackers"
2: hit before it touches the ground; "volley the tennis ball"
3: discharge in, or as if in, a volley; "the attackers volleyed
gunshots at the civilians"
4: make a volley
5: utter rapidly; "volley a string of curses"