Definition of crossbow
: a weapon for shooting quarrels and stones that consists chiefly of a short bow mounted crosswise near the end of a stock
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Recent Examples of crossbow from the Web
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So, too, has the number of deer harvested by crossbow users.
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In January, an iguana was found in Plantation with five dart-like arrows in his body — apparently shot from a crossbow.
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The man shot with an arrow last month in the Lower 9th Ward was found by a neighbor lying face-down in the street and a white crossbow bolt with the tip missing was on the ground next to him, according to a police report.
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Most turkeys are hunted with shotguns, but Florida also allows rifles, pistols, muzzleloaders, crossbows and bows to be used on private land.
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Sunshine appears to have been killed with a bow and arrow or crossbow, although no arrow was present at the scene.
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Even pest-control specialists who kill thousands of iguanas were outraged last month when a 6-foot green iguana turned up in Plantation, shot five times with a crossbow.
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The sprawling show—about the size of 12 football fields—features everything from rifles to shotguns to crossbows, along with outdoor clothing and gear.
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The South Beach hotel clerk accused of killing the popular neighborhood stray – with a crossbow arrow to the skull – has been deported to his native Greece before Miami state prosecutors could ever take him to trial.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crossbow.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Illustration of crossbow
First Known Use of crossbow
15th century
CROSSBOW Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of crossbow for English Language Learners
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: a weapon that shoots arrows and that consists of a short bow attached to a longer piece of wood
CROSSBOW Defined for Kids
Definition of crossbow for Students
: a short strip mounted crosswise near the end of a wooden stock that shoots short arrows
Learn More about crossbow
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See words that rhyme with crossbow Spanish Central: Translation of crossbow Nglish: Translation of crossbow for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of crossbow for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crossbow
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