to cannonball along
- phrasal verb
- Informal
:
ir a toda velocidad
- 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
548
1.0
To move or act quickly because a situation needs it
351
1.6
To move very quickly in one direction
137
1.0
To move or travel quickly, often faster than allowed
91
1.0
To move or work very quickly to reach a goal
38
1.6
A short, fast run to reach something
35
5.2
To hurry and go faster, often when driving
34
2.9
A sudden quick movement to escape or reach something
24
4.6
To move very fast in a rough or uncontrolled way
21
3.7
To move very quickly in a straight line
19
6.8
To move very fast and with great force like a train or meteor
18
6.1
To move quickly and lightly from one place to another
18
1.8
A sudden quick movement in one direction
7
3.9
Move quickly to do something
2
6.7
Move quickly and without control down a hill or road
2
3.0
Move suddenly and quickly from one side to the other
2
9.9
To go quickly to a place, often used in old writing
1
7.7
To move quickly on foot
1
2.7
To move quickly in one direction
1
6.8
To move very fast and out of control toward something, often causing harm
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
7.9
To start moving suddenly and very fast from a stop
Move very fast along a street or path
To move suddenly and fast in one direction
To leave a place very quickly
To move very quickly, usually by running or driving
To travel very fast, often by vehicle or train
To move quickly by car or on foot
Antonyms
How Fast
1
3.9
- Informal
1
2.7
137
1.0
∞
1.0
5
2.6
19
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'.