slingshot

5 definitions • 5 examples

a Y-shaped stick or piece of metal with a piece of elastic (= material that stretches) attached to the top parts, used especially by children for shooting small stones

in motor racing, to pass another car by driving behind it to gain speed using less power, before accelerating (= increasing speed) and moving past it :

Stewart used the momentum to shift to the inside and slingshot around to the lead.

to push something or someone somewhere with a lot of force, or to be pushed somewhere with a lot of force:

The surfers used jet skis to provide them with the initial momentum to slingshot them onto the giant waves.

The spaceship slingshot through space.

to cause someone or something to suddenly be in a particular situation, area of activity, etc., or to suddenly be in it:

Somehow, this PR catastrophe slingshot her back onto the music charts.

Candidates are going to have to win South Carolina to slingshot into that national primary.

a Y-shaped stick with a piece of elastic fixed to the top parts, used esp. by children for shooting small stones