catapult

noun

• 1British a forked stick with an elastic band fastened to the two prongs, used by children for shooting small stones.

• 2 historical a military machine worked by a lever and ropes for hurling large stones or other missiles.

• 3a mechanical device for launching a glider or other aircraft, especially from the deck of a ship.

verb

• hurl or launch (something) with or as if with a catapult:the explosion catapulted the car 30 yards along the road figurativetheir music catapulted them to the top of the charts
• [no object, with adverbial of direction] move suddenly or at great speed as though hurled by a catapult:the horse catapulted away from the fence