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salvo

 - 5 dictionary results

sal⋅vo

1[sal-voh]
–noun, plural -vos, -voes.
1. a simultaneous or successive discharge of artillery, bombs, etc.
2. a round of fire given as a salute.
3. a round of cheers or applause.

Origin:
1585–95; earlier salva < It ≪ L salvē salve 3

sal⋅vo

2[sal-voh]
–noun, plural -vos. Archaic.
1. an excuse or quibbling evasion.
2. something to save a person's reputation or soothe a person's feelings.

Origin:
1635–45; < L salvō, abl. of salvus safe, found in legal phrases
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
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sal·vo 1   (sāl'vō)   
n.   pl. sal·vos or sal·voes
    1. A simultaneous discharge of firearms.

    2. The simultaneous release of a rack of bombs from an aircraft.

    3. The projectiles or bombs thus released.

    4. A sudden outburst, as of cheers or praise.

    5. A forceful verbal or written assault.

  1. Something resembling a release or discharge of bombs or firearms, as:

    1. A sudden outburst, as of cheers or praise.

    2. A forceful verbal or written assault.


[Italian salva, from French salve, from Latin salvē, hail, imperative of salvēre, to be in good health, from salvus, safe; see sol- in Indo-European roots.]
sal·vo 2   (sāl'vō)   
n.   pl. sal·vos
  1. A mental provision or reservation.

  2. Law A saving clause.

  3. An expedient for protecting one's reputation or for soothing one's conscience.


[Latin salvō (as in Medieval Latin salvō iūre, saving the right), ablative of salvus, safe; see safe.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

salvo 
1719, alteration of salva (1591) "simultaneous discharge of guns," from It. salva "salue, volley" (cf. Fr. salve, from It.), from L. salve "hail!," lit. "be in good health!," the usual Roman greeting, regarded as imperative of salvere "to be in good health," but prop. voc. of salvus "healthy" (see safe (adj.)). The notion is of important visitors greeted with a volley of gunfire into the air.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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