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Webster 1913 Edition

Volley

Vol′ley

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Volleys
(#)
.
[F.
volée
; flight, a volley, or discharge of several guns, fr.
voler
to fly, L.
volare
. See
Volatile
.]
1.
A flight of missiles, as arrows, bullets, or the like; the simultaneous discharge of a number of small arms.
Fiery darts in flaming
volleys
flew.
Milton.
Each
volley
tells that thousands cease to breathe.
Byron.
2.
A burst or emission of many things at once;
as, a
volley
of words
.
“This volley of oaths.”
B. Jonson.
Rattling nonsense in full
volleys
breaks.
Pope.
3.
(a)
(Tennis)
A return of the ball before it touches the ground.
(b)
(Cricket)
A sending of the ball full to the top of the wicket.
Half volley
.
(a)
(Tennis)
A return of the ball immediately after is has touched the ground.
(b)
(Cricket)
A sending of the ball so that after touching the ground it flies towards the top of the wicket.
R. A. Proctor.
–
On the volley
,
at random.
[Obs.]
“What we spake on the volley begins work.”
Massinger.
–
Volley gun
,
a gun with several barrels for firing a number of shots simultaneously; a kind of mitrailleuse.

Vol′ley

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Volleyed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Volleying
.]
To discharge with, or as with, a volley.

Vol′ley

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To be thrown out, or discharged, at once; to be discharged in a volley, or as if in a volley; to make a volley or volleys.
Tennyson.
2.
(a)
(Tennis)
To return the ball before it touches the ground.
(b)
(Cricket)
To send the ball full to the top of the wicket.
R. A. Proctor.

Webster 1828 Edition

Volley

VOL'LEY

,
Noun.
plu.
volleys. [L. volo.]
1.
A flight of shot; the discharge of many small arms at once.
2.
A burst or emission of many things at once; as a volley of words.
But rattling nonsense to full volleys breaks.

VOL'LEY

,
Verb.
T.
to discharge with a volley.

VOL'LEY

,
Verb.
I.
To throw out or discharge at once.

Definition 2024

volley

volley

English

Noun

volley ‎(plural volleys)

  1. The simultaneous firing of a number of missiles or bullets; the projectiles so fired
    • Milton
      Fiery darts in flaming volleys flew.
    • Byron
      Each volley tells that thousands cease to breathe.
    • 1907, Harold Bindloss, chapter 30, in The Dust of Conflict:
      It was by his order the shattered leading company flung itself into the houses when the Sin Verguenza were met by an enfilading volley as they reeled into the calle.
  2. A burst or emission of many things at once.
    a volley of words
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Ben Jonson to this entry?)
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Alexander Pope to this entry?)
  3. (sports) The flight of a ball just before it bounces
  4. (sports) A shot in which the ball is played before it hits the ground
    • 2011 October 1, John Sinnott, “Aston Villa 2–0 Wigan”, in BBC Sport:
      But there was nothing he could do about Villa's second when Agbonlahor crossed from the left and Bent finished with a precision volley.
  5. (cricket) A sending of the ball full to the top of the wicket.

Translations

Verb

volley ‎(third-person singular simple present volleys, present participle volleying, simple past and past participle volleyed)

  1. (transitive) To fire a volley of shots
  2. (sports, transitive) To hit the ball before it touches the ground
    • 2011 May 14, Peter Scrivener, “Sunderland 1–3 Wolverhampton”, in BBC Sport:
      Boudewijn Zenden hit the post from 25 yards for the home side before Jody Craddock volleyed Wolves ahead from 10 yards against his former club.
  3. (intransitive) To be fired in a volley
  4. (sports, intransitive) To make a volley

Translations

Derived terms

Anagrams

French

Etymology

From English volleyball

Noun

volley m ‎(uncountable)

  1. (sports) volleyball

Synonyms

Italian

Noun

volley m ‎(invariable)

  1. volleyball

Derived terms

Synonyms

Etymology

From Middle French volee ‎(“flight”), from Vulgar Latin volta, from Late Latin volatus.

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ɒli

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