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To set firmly; to fix; to set and direct, or point; as, to plant cannon against a fort; to plant a standard in any place; to plant one's feet on solid ground; to plant one's fist in another's face.

To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon upon a fortification; to play a trump. First Peace and Silence all disputes control, Then Order plays the soul. Herbert.

To direct toward an abject; to aim; as, to point a gun at a wolf, or a cannon at a fort.

A Vickers-Maxim one-pounder automatic machine cannon using metallic ammunition fed from a lopped belt attached to the gun; -- popularly so called from its peculiar drumming sound in action. Sometimes, any of other similar automatic cannons.

The cascabel, or hindmost knob, of a cannon. [R.]

An opening in the side of a vessel; an embrasure through which cannon may be discharged; a porthole; also, the shutters which close such an opening. Her ports being within sixteen inches of the water. Sir W. Raleigh.

A pot-shaped cannon; a mortar. [Obs.] "Twelve potguns of brass." Hakluyt.

lled with reference to a certain number of pounds in value, weight, capacity, etc.; as, a cannon carrying a twelve-pound ball is called a twelve pounder.

To apply priming to, as a musket or a cannon; to apply a primer to, as a metallic cartridge.

2d Lag. -- Priming tube, a small pipe, filled with a combustible composition for firing cannon. -- Priming valve (Steam Eng.), a spring safety valve applied to the cylinder of a steam engine for discharging water carried into the cylinder by priming. -- Priming wire, a pointed wire used to penetrate the vent of a p…

The application of a lever to move any weighty body, as a cask, anchor, cannon, car, etc. See Prize, n., 5.

charge of powder and ball, greater than the service charge, fired in an arm, as a gun or cannon, to test its strength. -- Proof impression. See under Impression. -- Proof load (Engin.), the greatest load than can be applied to a piece, as a beam, column, etc., without straining the piece beyond the elastic limit. -…

a mechanical advantage; to get a purchase upon, or apply a purchase to; as, to purchase a cannon.

graduated limb, with a plumb line or spirit level, and an arm by which it is applied to a cannon or mortar in adjusting it to the elevation required for attaining the desired range. -- Gunter's quadrant. See Gunter's quadrant, in the Vocabulary. Hadley's quadrant, a hand instrument used chiefly at sea to measure the a…

noise made during flight. Quaker buttons. (Bot.) See Nux vomica. -- Quaker gun, a dummy cannon made of wood or other material; -- so called because the sect of Friends, or Quakers, hold to the doctrine, of nonresistance. -- Quaker ladies (Bot.), a low American biennial plant (Houstonia cærulea), with pretty four-lob…

Having trunnions the axes of which lie below the bore; -- said of a cannon.

To enfilade; to fire in a direction with the length of; in naval engagements, to cannonade, as a ship, on the stern or head so that the balls range the whole length of the deck. To rake up. (a) To collect together, as the fire (live coals), and cover with ashes. (b) To bring up; to search out an bring to notice again;…

, those glittering dells, Proudly ramparted with rocks. Coleridge. Rampart gun (Fort.), a cannon or large gun for use on a rampart and not as a fieldpiece.

A place where shooting, as with cannons or rifles, is practiced.

imb, or something held or thrown; as, the fruit is beyond my reach; to be within reach of cannon shot.