Javelin

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Javelin \Jave"lin\, n. [F. javeline; akin to Sp. jabalina, It.
     giavelina, and F. javelot, OF. gavlot. Cf. {Gavelock}.]
     1. A sort of light spear, to be thrown or cast by the hand;
        anciently, a weapon of war used by horsemen and foot
        soldiers; now used chiefly in hunting the wild boar and
        other fierce game.


        [1913 Webster]
  
              Flies the javelin swifter to its mark,
              Launched by the vigor of a Roman arm? --Addison.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Sport) A wooden shaft resembling a spear, thrown by
        contestants in a contest called the javelin throw; the one
        throwing the javelin furthest wins the contest. The
        javelin throw is one of the field events of the modern
        Olympic Games.
        [PJC]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Javelin \Jave"lin\, v. t.
     To pierce with a javelin. [R.] --Tennyson.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  javelin
       n 1: an athletic competition in which a javelin is thrown as far
            as possible
       2: a spear thrown as a weapon or in competitive field events

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Javelin
     (1.) Heb. hanith, a lance, from its flexibility (1 Sam. 18:10,
     11; 19:9, 10; 20:33).
     
       (2.) Heb. romah, a lance for heavy-armed troops, so called
     from its piercing (Num. 25:7). (See {ARMS}.)