cannonball
gb/kˈænənbˌɔl/ us/kˈænənbˌɔl/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
action
1
splashy knees-to-chest jump
a jump into water that makes a big splash
Usage pattern:
do a cannonball (into [water])
Common mistake:
Often misspelled as two words (*cannon ball*) when referring to the jump.
Synonyms
bomb (Common in British English for the same splashy jump.)
Antonyms
dive (A dive is a more streamlined, usually quieter entry into water.)
Collocations
do a cannonball
|a big cannonball
|a perfect cannonball
|a cannonball jump
|a cannonball into the pool
|make a huge splash
|no cannonballs
|kids doing cannonballs
|a messy cannonball
|a quick cannonball
Themes
sports
|leisure
|swimming
Examples
- The kids took turns doing cannonballs in the deep end.
- The lifeguard yelled, 'No cannonballs near the shallow area!'
- He did a cannonball and soaked everyone sitting by the pool.
Learner examples
- I did a cannonball in the pool.
- No cannonballs here, please.
Noun
B2
entity
2
iron ball fired from cannon
a heavy metal ball shot from a cannon
Usage pattern:
fire [a cannonball] (at/through [something])
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse a cannonball (a solid ball) with a modern 'shell' (often explosive and not spherical).
Synonyms
round (General term for ammunition; not limited to spherical shot.)
|
shot (Older artillery term; can refer to different projectile types.)
Collocations
fire a cannonball
|a cannonball hit
|an iron cannonball
|a solid cannonball
|a cannonball tore through
|cannonball damage
|cannonball hole
|cannonball range
|cannonball strike
|load a cannonball
Themes
history
|military
Examples
- The museum displayed cannonballs recovered from the battlefield.
- A cannonball crashed through the wooden gate.
- They found an old iron cannonball buried near the fort.
Learner examples
- The cannon fired a cannonball.
- The cannonball was heavy.
Noun
B2
entity
3
very heavy round object
a heavy round thing
Usage pattern:
a cannonball of [material]; a cannonball in/on [place]
Common mistake:
This is usually figurative; in literal contexts it more often means the projectile.
Synonyms
ball (More general; does not necessarily suggest heaviness.)
Antonyms
feather (Used to contrast with something very heavy.)
Collocations
a cannonball of mud
|a cannonball of snow
|a cannonball-shaped weight
|cannonball-sized
|a cannonball sinker
|a cannonball of clay
|heavy as a cannonball
|round as a cannonball
|a cannonball lump
|a cannonball weight
Themes
description
|daily_life
Examples
- He rolled the cannonball of wet clay across the table.
- A cannonball of snow flew past my head as the snowball fight started.
- The diver carried a cannonball-shaped weight for training.
Learner examples
- The stone was round like a cannonball.
- He picked up a cannonball-shaped weight.
Verb
informal
C1
action
4
travel extremely fast
to go very fast
Usage pattern:
cannonball (down/along) [road] (to [place])
Common mistake:
Usually used without an object (you 'cannonball down the road', not 'cannonball the road').
Synonyms
barrel (Suggests fast, uncontrolled movement.)
|
tear (Informal; emphasizes speed and energy.)
Antonyms
crawl (Move very slowly, often because of traffic.)
Collocations
cannonball down the highway
|cannonball along the coast road
|cannonball to the airport
|cannonball home
|cannonball across town
|cannonball through traffic
|cannonball over
|cannonball past
|cannonball straight
|cannonball all the way
Themes
travel
|informal_speech
Examples
- We cannonballed down the highway to catch the last ferry.
- He cannonballed across town after realizing he’d left his passport at home.
- They cannonballed out of the parking lot when the storm hit.
Learner examples
- We cannonballed to the station.
- He cannonballed down the road.
Verb
B2
action
5
jump into water as cannonball
to jump into water and make a big splash
Usage pattern:
cannonball (into [water])
Common mistake:
Often used with 'into' (cannonball into the pool).
Synonyms
bomb (British English verb meaning to jump in and make a splash.)
Antonyms
dive (A dive is a straighter, less splashy entry.)
Collocations
cannonball into the pool
|cannonball into the lake
|cannonball off the dock
|cannonball from the diving board
|cannonball in
|cannonball straight in
|cannonball and splash everyone
|cannonball loudly
|cannonball again
|cannonball with friends
Themes
sports
|leisure
|swimming
Examples
- She cannonballed into the pool without checking how cold it was.
- Don’t cannonball off the rocks—it’s too shallow here.
- He cannonballed in and sent water over the edge.
Learner examples
- He cannonballed into the water.
- I cannonballed and made a splash.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cannonball
IPA
GB/kˈænənbˌɔl/
US/kˈænənbˌɔl/
Syllables & stress
can - non - ball (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (can)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: cannonball
- Plural: cannonballs
Word family
Expressions
cannonball down the highway
1/kˈænənbˌɔl dˈaʊn ðə hˈaɪwˌeɪ/
fixed phrase
informal
drive extremely fast
drive very fast on a highway
Examples
- We cannonballed down the highway to make the appointment on time.
- He cannonballed down the highway and still missed the exit.
- They cannonballed down the highway in total silence after the bad news.
cannonball into
1/kˈænənbˌɔl ˈɪntu/
fixed phrase
jump in curled up
jump into water in a ball shape
Examples
- He cannonballed into the pool fully clothed.
- The dog cannonballed into the lake after the stick.
- She cannonballed into the ocean and disappeared in the foam.
cannonball run
1/kˈænənbˌɔl ɹˈʌn/
fixed phrase
unofficial high-speed road race
a famous very fast driving challenge
Examples
- He watched a documentary about the Cannonball Run and its record attempts.
- They joked about doing a Cannonball Run, but it would be illegal and dangerous.
- The article discussed the history of the Cannonball Run.
do a cannonball
1/dˈu ə kˈænənbˌɔl/
fixed phrase
perform a splashy pool jump
jump into water and make a big splash
Examples
- Can you do a cannonball from the diving board?
- They told him not to do a cannonball near the toddlers.
- I did a cannonball and splashed my sister.
like a cannonball
1/lˈaɪk ə kˈænənbˌɔl/
fixed phrase
very fast or forceful
very fast or very strong
Examples
- The idea hit me like a cannonball in the middle of the meeting.
- He came running in like a cannonball and knocked over a chair.
- The ball flew like a cannonball straight into the net.