volley

plural volleys

1. The simultaneous firing of a number of missiles or bullets; the projectiles so fired.

   Fiery darts in flaming volies flew.

   1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

   2 more examples

   Each volley tells that thousands cease to breathe.

   1812, Lord Byron, “Canto I”, in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. A Romaunt, London: […] [F]or John Murray, […]; William Blackwood, Edinburgh; and John Cumming, Dublin; by Thomas Davison, […], →OCLC, stanza XXXVIII

   It was by his order the shattered leading company flung itself into the houses when the Sin Verguenza were met by an enfilading volley as they reeled into the calle.

   1907 January, Harold Bindloss, chapter 30, in The Dust of Conflict, 1st Canadian edition, Toronto, Ont.: McLeod & Allen, →OCLC

2. A burst or emission of many things at once.

   a volley of words

   3 more examples

   volley of insults

   When we do speak at volley

   1625 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, The Staple of Newes. […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Robert Allot […], published 1631, →OCLC, (please specify the page), (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)

   A whole volley of furious criticism was poured on the author [Alexander Pope] by those enemies whom his contempt had created, and his honest pride had justly disdained to propitiate.

   1835, G[eorge] Croly, “Memoir of Pope”, in Alexander Pope, The Works of Alexander Pope; […], volume I, London: A[braham] J[ohn] Valpy, […], →OCLC, page 56

3. hobbiesThe flight of a ball just before it bounces.
4. hobbiesA shot in which the ball is played before it hits the ground.

   But there was nothing he could do about Villa's second when Agbonlahor crossed from the left and Bent finished with a precision volley.

   2011 October 1, John Sinnott, “Aston Villa 2–0 Wigan”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 04 Feb 2012

5. ball gamesA sending of the ball full to the top of the wicket.

present singular third person volleys · participle present volleying · participle past volleyed · past volleyed

1. transitiveTo fire a volley of shots.
2. transitivehobbiesTo hit the ball before it touches the ground.

   Boudewijn Zenden hit the post from 25 yards for the home side before Jody Craddock volleyed Wolves ahead from 10 yards against his former club.

   2011 May 14, Peter Scrivener, “Sunderland 1–3 Wolverhampton”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 12 Aug 2012

3. intransitiveTo be fired in a volley.
4. intransitivehobbiesTo make a volley.
5. To sound together.