What does ballista mean?
Definitions for ballista
bəˈlɪs təbal·lista
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word ballista.
Princeton's WordNet
catapult, arbalest, arbalist, ballista, bricole, mangonel, onager, trebuchet, trebucketnoun
an engine that provided medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine for hurling large stones and other missiles
Wiktionary
ballistanoun
An ancient military engine, in the form of a crossbow, used for hurling large missiles.
Etymology: From ballista, from βαλλίστρα, from βάλλω.
Wikipedia
Ballista
The ballista (Latin, from Greek βαλλίστρα ballistra and that from βάλλω ballō, "throw"), plural ballistae, sometimes called bolt thrower, was an ancient missile weapon that launched either bolts or stones at a distant target. Developed from earlier Greek weapons, it relied upon different mechanics, using two levers with torsion springs instead of a tension prod (the bow part of a modern crossbow). The springs consisted of several loops of twisted skeins. Early versions projected heavy darts or spherical stone projectiles of various sizes for siege warfare. It developed into a smaller precision weapon, the scorpio, and possibly the polybolos.
ChatGPT
ballista
A ballista is an ancient military siege engine, similar to a crossbow, that was used to launch projectiles such as large stones or arrows. It was designed to deliver powerful, long range shots which could destroy structures or cause significant damage to enemy forces. This weapon was used mainly by the Greeks and Romans during warfare.
Webster Dictionary
Ballistanoun
an ancient military engine, in the form of a crossbow, used for hurling large missiles
Wikidata
Ballista
The ballista, plural ballistae, was an ancient missile weapon that launched a large projectile at a distant target. Developed from earlier Greek weapons, it relied upon different mechanics, using two levers with torsion springs instead of a prod, the springs consisting of several loops of twisted skeins. Early versions projected heavy darts or spherical stone projectiles of various sizes for siege warfare. It developed into a smaller sniper weapon, the scorpio, and possibly the polybolos.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Ballista
Balista, bal-lis′ta, n. a Roman military engine in the form of a crossbow, which, like the catapulta and the onager, propelled large and heavy missiles, chiefly through the reaction of a tightly twisted rope, or else by a violent movement of levers.—adj. Ballis′tic, projectile.—ns. Ballis′tic-pen′dulum, an instrument for ascertaining the velocity of military projectiles; Ballis′tite, an improved kind of gunpowder. [L.—Gr. ballein, to throw.]
Dictionary of Nautical Terms
ballista
An ancient military engine, like an enormous cross-bow, for throwing stones, darts, and javelins against the enemy with rapidity and violence. Also, the name of the geometrical cross called Jacob's staff.
Matched Categories
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of ballista in Chaldean Numerology is: 9
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of ballista in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4
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"ballista." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/ballista>.
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