| launch | 1. To throw, as a lance or dart; to hurl; to let fly. 2. To strike with, or as with, a lance; to pierce. "Launch your hearts with lamentable wounds." (Spenser) 3. To cause to move or slide from the land into the water; to set afloat; as, to launch a ship. "With stays and cordage last he rigged the ship, And rolled on levers, launched her in the deep." (Pope) 4. To send out; to start (one) on a career; to set going; to give a start to (something); to put in operation; as, to launch a son in the world; to launch a business project or enterprise. "All art is used to sink episcopacy, and launch presbytery in England." (Eikon Basilike) Origin: OE. Launchen to throw as a lance, OF. Lanchier, another form of lancier, F. Lancer, fr. Lance lance. See Lance Alternative forms: lanch. 1. The act of launching. 2. The movement of a vessel from land into the water; especially, the sliding on ways from the stocks on which it is built. 3. [Cf. Sp. Lancha. The boat of the largest size belonging to a ship of war; also, an open boat of any size driven by steam, naphtha, electricity, or the like. Launching ways. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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