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javelin - 6 dictionary results

jave⋅lin

[jav-lin, jav-uh-]
–noun
1. a light spear, usually thrown by hand.
2. Track.
a. a spearlike shaft about 8 1/2 ft. (2.7 m) long and usually made of wood, used in throwing for distance.
b. Also called javelin throw. a competitive field event in which the javelin is thrown for distance.
–verb (used with object)
3. to strike or pierce with or as if with a javelin.

Origin:
1505–15; < MF javeline, by suffix alter. from javelot, AF gavelot, gaveloc, prob. < OE gafeluc, *gafeloc ≪ British Celtic *gablākos presumably, a spear with a forklike head; cf. MIr gablach forked branch, javelin, MWelsh gaflach (appar. < OIr), deriv. of OIr gabul fork, forked branch, c. Old Breton gabl, Welsh gafl
jave·lin   (jāv'lĭn, jāv'ə-)   
n.  
  1. A light spear thrown with the hand and used as a weapon.
  2. Sports
    1. A metal or metal-tipped spear thrown for distance in track and field competitions. The men's javelin is about 2.6 meters (8 1/2 feet) in length; the women's is about 2.2 meters (7 1/4 feet) in length.
    2. The athletic field event in which a javelin is thrown.

[Middle English, from Old French javeline, diminutive of javelot, of Celtic origin.]

Javelin

Jave"lin\, n. [F. javeline; akin to Sp. jabalina, It. giavelina, and F. javelot, OF. gavlot. Cf. Gavelock.] A sort of light spear, to be thrown or cast by thew hand; anciently, a weapon of war used by horsemen and foot soldiers; now used chiefly in hunting the wild boar and other fierce game.

Flies the javelin swifter to its mark, Launched by the vigor of a Roman arm? --Addison.

Javelin

Jave"lin\, v. t. To pierce with a javelin. [R.] --Tennyson.
Language Translation for : javelin
Spanish: jabalina,
German: der Wurfspeer,
Japanese: 投げやり

javelin 
c.1475, from M.Fr. javeline (15c.), fem. dim. of O.Fr. javelot "a spear," probably from Gaulish (cf. O.Ir. gabul "fork;" Welsh gafl "fork," gaflach "feathered spear"). Also found in It. (giavelotto) and M.H.G. (gabilot).

Javelin

(1.) Heb. hanith, a lance, from its flexibility (1 Sam. 18:10, 11; 19:9, 10; 20:33). (2.) Heb. romah, a lance for heavy-armed troops, so called from its piercing (Num. 25:7). (See ARMS.)

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