to cannonball along
- phrasal verb
- Informal
- She cannonballed along the corridor, desperate not to miss her train.
Examples
-
The truck cannonballed along the empty highway, overtaking every vehicle in sight.
-
As the clouds darkened, the children cannonballed along the street to get home before the rain started.
-
Watch out as he cannonballs along the path!
-
The children cannonballed along the beach.
-
As the clouds darkened, the children cannonballed along the street to get home before the rain started.
-
She cannonballed along the corridor, desperate not to miss her train.
-
The truck cannonballed along the empty highway, overtaking every vehicle in sight.
Synonyms
637
1.0
To move or act quickly because a situation needs it
312
1.0
To move or work very quickly to reach a goal
228
1.6
To move very quickly in one direction
184
1.0
To move or travel quickly, often faster than allowed
33
1.6
A short, fast run to reach something
29
4.6
To move very fast in a rough or uncontrolled way
27
5.2
To hurry and go faster, often when driving
25
3.7
To move very quickly in a straight line
24
6.1
To move quickly and lightly from one place to another
23
6.8
To move very fast and with great force like a train or meteor
21
3.9
Move quickly to do something
5
6.8
To move very fast and out of control toward something, often causing harm
5
9.9
To go quickly to a place, often used in old writing
2
2.7
To move quickly in one direction
2
6.7
Move quickly and without control down a hill or road
2
2.9
A sudden quick movement to escape or reach something
1
3.0
Move suddenly and quickly from one side to the other
1
1.8
A sudden quick movement in one direction
1
7.7
To move quickly on foot
1
7.2
To run or move very quickly without control
1
5.1
To move very fast, often making a soft rushing sound like a car or train
1
6.5
To travel very fast, often by vehicle or train
1
6.0
To move very quickly, usually by running or driving
1
7.9
To start moving suddenly and very fast from a stop
1
7.8
To move quickly by car or on foot
1
8.0
Move very fast along a street or path
To move suddenly and fast in one direction
To leave a place very quickly
Antonyms
How Fast
1
3.9
- Informal
2
2.7
184
1.0
∞
1.0
8
2.6
12
2.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'to move very quickly or hurriedly' is a metaphorical extension of 'cannonball' (which evokes a fast, forceful projectile or dive) combined with 'along' for direction, so there is a partial semantic link to the parts. However, the specific motion sense is not directly predictable from the literal verb 'cannonball' (dive/splash) and requires metaphorical mapping, so a B1 learner who only knows the constituents would likely not fully infer the meaning without exposure.
Etymology
Cannonball along may come from the image of a heavy cannonball flying or rolling straight and very fast. That's why to cannonball along means 'to move very quickly or forcefully'.