[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/crossbow/)

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# crossbow

noun (a crossbow, crossbows)

«crossbow» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

A weapon made of a small bow fixed across a wooden stock, which shoots short arrows called bolts when you pull a trigger. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crossbow/#m1)

### In the lessons

In history lessons about the Middle Ages, crossbows were powerful and easy to learn compared with longbows. In stories and games, characters hunt or fight with crossbows. Phrases: "fire a crossbow", "crossbow bolt".

### Examples

- Medieval soldiers fired crossbows at the castle walls. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crossbow/#x1)
- A crossbow bolt is shorter than an arrow. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crossbow/#x2)
- Crossbows were slower to reload than longbows. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crossbow/#x3)
- The museum had a crossbow from the 1400s. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crossbow/#x4)
- Crossbows are dangerous weapons, not toys. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crossbow/#x5)
- In ancient China, people also used crossbows. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crossbow/#x6)
- Both portraits had many holes in them, because the baron's sons used the two old people as targets for their crossbows. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crossbow/#x7)

### Note

One word. Plural: crossbows. Its arrows are called bolts or quarrels. In many places it is illegal for children to own or use a crossbow.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «crossbow» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/crossbow/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«crossbow» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/crossbow.html) on Mova free.