Definition of 'volley'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense volleys, present participle volleying, past tense, past participle volleyed
1. transitive verb/intransitive verb
2. countable noun
A volley of gunfire is a lot of bullets that travel through the air at the same time.
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
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Word Frequency
volley in American English
nounWord forms: plural ˈvolleys
1.
a.
the simultaneous discharge of a number of firearms or other weapons
3. Sport
a.
b.
the flight of the ball, etc. before it touches the ground
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈvolleyed or ˈvolleying
4.
to discharge in or as in a volley
5. Sport
to return (the ball, etc.) as a volley
verb intransitive
6.
to be discharged in or as in a volley
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
volleyer (ˈvolleyer)
noun
Word origin
MFr volee < VL *volata < fem. of L volatus, pp. of volare, to fly
Word Frequency
volley in American English
(ˈvɑli) (noun plural -leys, verb -leyed, -leying)
noun
1.
the simultaneous discharge of a number of missiles or firearms
2.
the missiles so discharged
4. Tennis
a.
the flight of the ball before it hits the ground
b.
the return of the ball before it hits the ground
transitive verb
8.
to discharge in or as in a volley
9. Tennis
to return (the ball) before it hits the ground
10. Soccer
to kick (the ball) before it bounces on the ground
intransitive verb
14.
to fire a volley; sound together, as firearms
15. Tennis & Soccer
to return the ball before it touches the ground
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
volleyer noun
Word origin
[1565–75; ‹ MF volee flight, n. use of fem. ptp. of voler to fly ‹ L volāre]Word Frequency
volley in British English
verb
7.
to discharge (weapons, etc) in or as if in a volley or (of weapons, etc) to be discharged
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
volleyer (ˈvolleyer) noun
Word origin
C16: from French volée a flight, from voler to fly, from Latin volāreExamples of 'volley' in a sentence
volley
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Word lists with
volley
tennisQuick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
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Which tennis term am I?
a very fast low serve
Which tennis term am I?
a line at each end of a tennis court that marks the limit of play
Which tennis term am I?
to hit (the ball) fast and powerfully, esp with an overhead stroke
Which tennis term am I?
an official who helps the referee or umpire in various sports, esp by indicating when the ball has gone out of play
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Trends of
volley
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In other languages
volley
British English: volley
VERB /ˈvɒlɪ/
In sports, if someone volleys the ball or if they volley, they hit the ball before it touches the ground.
He volleyed the ball spectacularly into the far corner of the net.
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volley
Related terms of
volley
Source
Definition of volley from the Collins English Dictionary
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