‖n.; pl. Ballistæ [ L. ballista, balista, fr. Gr. ba`llein to throw. ] An ancient military engine, in the form of a crossbow, used for hurling large missiles. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ballista. Cf. Balister. ] A crossbow. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to the ballista, or to the art of hurling stones or missile weapons by means of an engine. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pertaining to ballistics{ 2 }, or to a projectile in a gravitational field. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

3. frenzied; very angry; -- used mostly in the phrase
go ballistic. [ Colloq. ] [ PJC ]

Ballistic pendulum, an instrument consisting of a mass of wood or other material suspended as a pendulum, for measuring the force and velocity of projectiles by means of the arc through which their impact impels it. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A rocket-propelled missile of long range which is guided only during the powered portion of its flight, which usually takes only a small part of the total flight time; -- contrasted with guided missile. Ballistic missiles are sometimes referred to by their range, such as an
intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) or an
intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM). [ PJC ]

n. [ Cf. F. balistique. See Ballista. ] The science or art of hurling missile weapons by the use of an engine. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The science treating the motion of projectiles in flight, especially when they are in free fall within the earth's gravitational field. [ PJC ]

3. The study of the characteristics of a cartridge fired from a firearm, and of the processes occurring during the discharge of a firearm. [ PJC ]

4. The division within a police department which studies the characteristics of cartridges fired from a firearm; the ballistics department. The characteristics of the weapons and bullets fired may be used as evidence in criminal investigations. [ PJC ]

n. [ See Ballista. ] (Chem.) A smokeless powder containing equal parts of soluble nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. [ LL. ] See Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]