launch
[verb]
Synonyms:
- propel, discharge, dispatch, fire, project, send off, set in motion
- begin, commence, embark upon, inaugurate, initiate, instigate, introduce, open, start

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English Thesaurus: shoot, fire, launch, open fire, shell, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. launch¹ W2 /lɔːntʃ $ lɒːntʃ/ verb [transitive]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old North French; Origin: lancher, from Late Latin lanceare 'to throw a lance', from Latin lancea; ⇒ lance¹]

1. START SOMETHING to start something, usually something big or important:
The organization has launched a campaign to raise $150,000.
The Canadian police plan to launch an investigation into the deal.
launch an attack/assault/offensive
The press launched a vicious attack on the President.
The book launched his career as a novelist.

2. PRODUCT to make a new product, book etc available for sale for the first time:
The company hopes to launch the new drug by next October.

3. BOAT to put a boat or ship into the water

4. SKY/SPACE to send a weapon or spacecraft into the sky or into space:
A test satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral.

5. COMPUTER to make a computer program start Synonym : open:
Double-click on an icon to launch an application.

6. launch yourself forwards/up/from etc to jump up and forwards into the air with a lot of energy
launch into something phrasal verb

1. to suddenly start a description or story, or suddenly start criticizing something:
Nelson launched into a blistering criticism of greedy lawyers.

2. to suddenly start doing something:
Don’t just launch into exercise without warming up first.
launch out phrasal verb British English
to start something new, especially something that involves risk

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. launch² noun [countable]
[Sense 1,3: Date: 1300-1400; Origin: ⇒ launch¹]
[Sense 2: Date: 1600-1700; Language: Spanish; Origin: lancha, from Portuguese, perhaps from Malay lanchar 'quick']

1. when a new product, book etc is made available or made known
launch of
the launch of a new women’s magazine
a new product launch

2. a large boat with a motor

3. when a weapon or spacecraft is sent into the sky or into space

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

launch
noun
ADJ. official, press, public She is signing copies of her book at the official launch.
successful | imminent | book, campaign, product | balloon, rocket, satellite, shuttle
VERB + LAUNCH get (sth) ready for, prepare (sth) for They are preparing for the launch of the new campaign next month.
announce | mark a big Hollywood event to mark the launch of the movie
coincide with The show is timed to coincide with the launch of a new book on the subject.
attend, go to, speak at | delay, postpone, put off
LAUNCH + NOUN date | party (= for a product or book) | pad, site
PREP. after/following/since the ~ In the six months since its launch the car has sold extremely well.
at a/the ~ I met her at the launch of her new book.
~ for a spring launch for the new TV system

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

shoot verb [intransitive and transitive] to use a gun to fire bullets, or to kill or injure someone using a gun:
He ordered his men to stop shooting.
The guards shot the man as he was trying to escape.
President Kennedy was shot by a lone gunman.
fire verb [intransitive and transitive] to shoot bullets from a gun, or send an explosive object towards someone or something:
Soldiers fired into the crowd.
Helicopters fired rockets at several buildings.
He regained his balance, took aim, and fired.
The police fired into the air to make the crowd break up.
As soon as we crossed the border, enemy troops started firing at us.
Kendrick fired three shots at the President’s car.
Suddenly the car stopped, and the passenger got out and fired a Kalashnikov rifle at the police car.
launch verb [transitive] to send a large rocket or missile into the air:
American warships launched cruise missiles.
The guerrillas launched their rockets from densely populated towns.
open fire to start shooting:
Nineteen students were injured after a gunman opened fire.
Troops opened fire on a group of unarmed demonstrators.
The colonel gave the order for the soldiers to open fire.
shell verb [transitive] to fire shells (=metal containers filled with an explosive substance) at enemy soldiers, cities etc in a war, using large guns:
Border towns have been shelled by enemy aircraft for the past two months.
British warships began shelling German positions along the coast.
bombard verb [transitive] to attack a place for a long time with shells or bombs:
Allied forces bombarded the coast prior to the invasion.
Troops bombarded the area with shells.
The allied forces bombarded the enemy trenches for weeks.
Cromwell’s men had been bombarding the fort with their artillery for several days.
take a potshot at somebody/something to shoot at someone or something without aiming very carefully:
Someone tried to take a potshot at him, but hit the man behind instead.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲