cannon fire
3
4.9
- noun
:
fuego de cañón
- The cannon fire shook the ground.
- hear the cannon fire
- sound of cannon fire
- heavy cannon fire
Examples
-
During the battle, we heard loud cannon fire echoing across the field.
-
Hill's troops then seized the village of Subiana, but French cannon fire and counter attacks prevented any further advance.
-
Suddenly, the sound of cannon fire!
Fiction book (1990) -
Sink the ship with cannon fire.
-
We were peppered with cannon fire.
-
His ears drummed from the yells and cannon fire.
Fiction book (1991) -
Thunder shook the sky, booming off the water like cannon fire.
Fiction book (2001) -
It lobs cannon fire into the city, setting off tremendous explosions.
Fiction book (2002) -
The army advanced under a heavy barrage of cannon fire from the enemy.
-
As the ceremony began, a salute of cannon fire marked the occasion.
Synonyms
∞
5.9
Shooting weapons at an enemy or target
350
2.3
Firing a gun for practice or sport
204
2.5
The sound or act of shooting guns
51
8.3
Firing large guns at an area, often not aimed at a specific target
14
3.0
The act of shooting a gun
7
6.9
A heavy attack by military guns and cannons on enemy positions
7
7.9
Soldiers fire explosive shells in a high arc at a target from the ground
3
7.0
An attack in which an enemy shoots at people
1
8.8
Heavy firing of large guns causes explosions at a place
A long heavy stream of shots from large guns across a wide area to hit many places
A long, very loud attack by many heavy guns firing rapidly
How Intense
47
7.0
- Formal
1
9.9
- Specialized
14
7.6
3
4.9
204
2.5
- Specialized
11
6.8
- Specialized
66
4.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently composed from 'cannon' (a mounted heavy artillery piece) and 'fire' (the act of firing guns/artillery); a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it denotes shots fired from cannons. This is a literal, compositional noun phrase following common English and cross-linguistic patterns, so prior exposure is not required to understand its meaning.
Etymology
Cannon fire gives a clear picture: a big gun, the cannon, sending out shots and a loud blast, while the fire is the shooting and noise. That's why it means 'the firing of shots from one or more cannons' used to attack or defend.