̈ɪˈkænən n. & v. --n. 1
hist. (pl. same) a
large heavy gun installed on a
carriage or
mounting. 2 an
automatic aircraft gun
firing shells. 3
Billiards the hitting of
two balls successively by the cue-ball. 4 Mech. a
hollow cylinder moving independently on a
shaft. 5 (in full cannon-bit) a
smooth round bit
for a
horse. --v.intr. 1 (usu. foll. by
against, into)
collide heavily or obliquely. 2 Billiards
make a cannon shot. øcannon-ball hist. a large usu.
metal ball fired by a cannon. cannon-bone the tube-shaped
bone between the hock
and fetlock of a horse. cannon-fodder soldiers regarded merely as
material to be expended in
war. [F
canon f.
It. cannone large
tube f.
canna CANE: in Billiards
sense f. older CAROM]