volley

▪ I. volley, n.
    (ˈvɒlɪ)
    Forms: α. 6 volée, volee, (valee), vole, 7 vollee, volle. β. 6 vallew, 6–7 volue. γ. 6–8 vollie (6 vallie, Sc. wollie), 7 volie, 7–9 pl. vollies; 6 voly, 6–7 volly, 7 Ir. voylly. δ. 6–7 voley, 7 wolley, valley, 6– volley.
    [ad. F. volée (12th c. in Godef. Compl.), = Pr. and Sp. volada, It. volata:—Romanic volāta, fem. n. f. L. volātus, pa. pple. of volāre to fly.
    The spellings volue, vallew, are prob. on the analogy of venue, vinew beside veny, vinny.]
    1. a. A simultaneous discharge of a number of firearms or artillery; a salvo.

α 1587 Holinshed Chron. III. 1219/2 The whole fire began to plaie in such sort, that within foure volées both sides of the house were battered through. 1591 Garrard's Art Warre 48 They must abide at ye least a volee of Canons.

γ 1573 Satir. Poems Reform. xxxix. 93 For ordinance thay dung at day and nycht By weirlyk volyis. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 143 The king..commandit to charge all the gunnis to gif the castell ane new wollie. 1617 Moryson Itin. ii. 163 The enemy played all the night upon them with great vollyes, but hurt onely three men. 1688 Holme Armoury iii. xix. (Roxb.) 214/2 In grand Battalia's or feild service the souldier fires by Vollies or as some terme it, by Salves of shot. 1700 S. L. tr. Fryke's Voy. E. Ind. 318 A Dutch Company that conducted us out of Town gave three Vollies and went back again. 1745 P. Thomas Jrnl. Anson's Voy. 282 We then kept a continual Fire upon her of both great and small Arms, not firing in set Broadsides and Vollies. 1826 J. F. Cooper Mohicans (1829) I. viii. 101 Rifles which sent their leaden messengers across the rock in vollies.

δ 1591 in Lyly's Works (1902) I. 440 But from the Snailmount and the Ship-Ile in the Pond..there was a long volley of Chambers discharged. 1600 E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 203 They forced the gallions with a fewe volleies. 1625 Markham Souldiers Accid. 9 Let the first Ranke onely giue their volley,..and the second to passe through it, and so giue their volley. 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 169 We made some stay before the City,..and saluted it with a Volley both of all our great Guns, and of small shot. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 304 We were by this Method able to fire six Volleys, half of us at a Time. 1817 J. Scott Paris Revisit. (ed. 4) 293 A loud coarse laugh burst out from each,—united as a volley of musquetry, and ending as abruptly. 1844 H. H. Wilson Brit. India II. 219 After firing a volley, the troops charged and put the enemy to the rout. 1879 Browning Martin Relph 103 They level: a volley, a smoke and the clearing of smoke.

    b. Const. of (shot, etc.).

α 1583 T. Stocker Civ. Warres Lowe C. iii. 83 b, The valee of an 150. Canon shot. 1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 12 If our..Mosquettiers would give their volees of Mosquet shot uppon these shipboates full of men. 1623 in Foster Eng. Factories Ind. (1908) II. 231 At his putting into the grave 3 volles of smale shotte.

β 1579 Digges Stratiot. 105 These Troupes..hauing deliuered their Volue of Shot, shall marche away. c 1595 Capt. Wyatt Dudley's Voy. (Hakl. Soc.) 19 Givinge whole vallews of shott at our meetinge. Ibid. 45 Wyatt..receaved his Generall with a vallew of small shott.

γ 1584 Lyly Campaspe v. iii. 37 There is more pleasure in tuning of voyce, then in a volly of shotte. 1599 Dallam in Early Voy. Levant (Hakl. Soc.) 59 Betwyxte everie greate shott a vallie of smale shott. 1650 R. Stapylton Strada's Low C. Wars vii. 76 A great joy expressed by three Vollyes of shot, and the cheerfull sound of Drums. a 1660 Contemp. Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archæol. Soc.) I. 261 The relife gaue a voylly of foure score shott amonge them. a 1700 Evelyn Diary 8 Oct. 1641, From whence we received many vollies of shot in compliment to my Lord Marshall.

δ 1591 Raleigh Last Fight Revenge (Arb.) 20 After many enterchanged voleies of..small shot. 1604 T. Wright Passions v. §4. 192 Resembling a volley of shot speedily deliuered. 1625 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. III. 199 Which gave her a volley of fifteen hundred great shot. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World i. 143 His Men fell..as flat to the Ground, as if they had been Shot to Death with a Volley of our Shot. 1748 Anson's Voyage ii. v. 186 He fired a volley of small shot between the masts. 1803 Scott Let. in Lockhart (1837) I. xi. 390 A volley of small shot fired through the window. 1847 James Convict xvi, Another volley of shot rang from behind the gateway of the town.

    c. transf. (spec. in Physiol.), fig., and in fig. context. Also without article (quot. 1749); cf. next.

1629 H. Burton Truth's Triumph 232 Thus haue we..spent a small volley vpon the Pontifician forces. 1738 Mrs. Delany Life & Corr. (1861) II. 15 Every one was pleased with your..compliments, and volleys have been shot off in return this afternoon, when I said I was coming to my room to write to you. 1749 Smollett Regicide iii. viii, I will pour My vengeance in full volley; and the earth Shall dread to yield you succour or resource! 1749 Fielding Tom Jones ix. v, She discharged a volley of small charms at once from her whole countenance in a smile. 1817 Byron Beppo xlv, Large black eyes that flash on you a volley Of rays. 1836–7 Dickens Sk. Boz, Scenes xii, Ginger-beer corks go off in volleys. 1928 Jrnl. Physiol. LXV 276 The rhythmic discharge is due to a more or less synchronous activity in a large number of the optic nerve fibres. The different ganglion cells have given up their usual independent fire of impulses and have taken to firing volleys. 1968 Brit. Med. Bull. XXIV. 253/2 Small localised changes in cortical potential, such as may follow the arrival of a sensory volley from the periphery, are completely lost in the background of much larger voltages produced by the rest of the cortical surface.

    † d. in volley, by simultaneous firing. Obs.^—1

1598 Barret Theor. Warres iii. i. 42 There is yet another order of discharging of troupes of Muskets in vollie.

    e. Mining. ‘The act of exploding blasts in sections.’

1895 Funk's Stand. Dict.

    2. a. A shower or simultaneous flight of many missile weapons, as arrows, stones, etc. Also in fig. context.

1598 Barret Theor. Warres i. i. 3 Our bowmen may shoot by vollies, as thick as hayle. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. vi. xiv. §11. 91 The Britaines..auoided the volue of the Romans, showring downe withall great store of theirs vpon them. 1667 Milton P.L. vi. 213 Over head the dismal hiss Of fiery Darts in flaming volies flew. 1697 Dryden æneid i. 215 Stones and brands in rattling volleys fly. 1808 Scott Marm. vi. xxxiv, The English shafts in volleys hail'd. 1820 ― Abbot xviii, Even thus fly all your shafts.., but a breath of foolish affection ever crosses in the mid volley, and sways the arrow from the mark.

    b. Const. of.

1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 31 b, The Archers with their volees of arrowes did breake both horsmen and footmen. 1600 Holland Livy xxviii. xxxvi. 696 The Romans..at the first onset and volie of shot..put them to flight. 1625 Bacon Apophth. §126 It was told him, that the enemie had such volleyes of arrowes, that they did hide the Sunne. 1686 tr. Chardin's Trav. Persia 210 The People..ply'd the Top of the Mosque with..Volleys of Stones. 1734 tr. Rollin's Anc. Hist. (1827) I. 345 Numerous volleys of arrows and stones. 1788 Gibbon Decl. & F. xlvi. IV. 520 Their engines discharged a perpetual volley of stones and darts. 1850 Marsden Early Purit. (1853) 437 The mob rushed upon them with a volley of stones.

    c. poet. A storm or shower of hail, rain, etc.

1737 Gentl. Mag. VII. 630 Wintry clouds, Surcharg'd with vollies of tumultuous hail, Or stores of sounding rain. 1784 Cowper Task v. 141 The gloomy clouds find weapons, arrowy sleet, Skin-piercing volley, blossom-bruising hail.

    † 3. a. A company or troop of birds, etc., in flight; a flight. Obs. rare.

1601 Dolman La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1618) III. 760 The ringe doues are seene to come euery yeere in great vollies ouer the sea. Ibid. 843 Birdes of prey doe not flie togither in vollies or troopes. 1610 G. Fletcher Christ's Vict. ii. lxi, But to their Lord, now musing in his thought, A heavenly volie of light Angels flew.

    † b. A crowd or large number of persons or things. Obs.

1595 Daniel Civil Wars v. cvii, Therefore easily great Sommerset..With all the vollie of disgraces met. 1639 Fuller Holy War ii. xxxvii. 94 King Almerick himself wearied with whole volleys of miseries, ended his life of a bloudy flux. a 1656 Ussher Ann. vi. (1658) 564 The Souldiers..finding their return intercepted by a valley of Archers. 1693 Humours Town 27 The Vollies of Duns, of believing Vintners, Tailors, Sempstresses.

    4. a. An uttering or outpouring of numerous words, oaths, shouts, etc., in smart or rapid succession. Also without const.

1590 Nashe Pasquil's Apol. i. C ij b, He giues vs a voley of Scriptures against Non Residents. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. ii. iv. 30 A fine volly of words, gentlemen, & quickly shot off. 1620 [G. Brydges] Horæ Subs. 455 Whatsoeuer by them is performed, shall be sure to finde whole vollies of praises. 1647 N. Ward Simple Cobler (1843) 54, I am resolved..to storme you with volyes of Love and Loyalty. 1649 Milton Eikon. x. Wks. 1851 III. 412 Those thousands of blaspheming Cavaliers about him, whose mouthes let fly Oaths and Curses by the voley. 1710 Steele & Addison Tatler No. 254 ¶5 We heard a Volley of Oaths and Curses, lasting for a long while. 1779 Sheridan St. Patrick's Day i. i, Let him have our grievances in a volley. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia v. vii, [He] poured forth..a volley of compliments. 1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. I. 64 This, however, always produced a fresh volley from his wife. 1847 Illustr. Lond. News 2 Oct. 219/2 Between them continuous volleys of what is called ‘chaff’ were kept up. 1874 L. Carr J. Gwynne I. v. 163 A volley of dire anathemas against those scoundrelly insurance chaps.

    b. Similarly of sighs, groans, cheers, laughter, etc. Also without const.

1589 Greene Tullies Love Wks. (Grosart) VII. 189 After a vole of broken sighes tempered with some teares, hee fell a sleepe. 1640 Sandys Christs Passion iv. 270 Cries Of weeping Women, in lowd Vollies rise. 1648 Crashaw Music's Duel 63 A Throng Of short thicke sobs, whose thundring volleyes float..In panting murmurs. 1727 Gay Begg. Op. i. xii, What vollies of sighs are sent from the windows of Holborn. 1786 tr. Beckford's Vathek (1868) 103 They burst out into volleys of laughter. 1877 Talmage Serm. 334 Let this religion of Christ go down under a volley of merriment. 1882 B. D. W. Ramsay Recoll. Mil. Serv. II. xv. 65 Giving a volley of British cheers.

    c. A succession of words of command rapidly or smartly delivered.

1796 Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813) 27 The repetition of them by every other individual concerned, must not be strictly successive, but as much as can be in a volley.

    † 5. at (the or a) volley, on (or o') the volley, at random, without consideration. Usu. with verbs, esp. speak. Obs.
    After F. à la volée.

(a) 1578 H. Wotton Courtlie Controv. 252 The king..they knew loued hir feruently,..although it were begun at the volue. 1596 Harington Metam. Ajax Apol. Aa vj b, The sundrie censures I shoulde incurre, by letting such a pamphlet fly abroad at such a time, when euerything is taken at the voley. c 1620 Z. Boyd Zion's Flowers (1855) 125 Like those who speake at random at a voleye. 1625 B. Jonson Staple of N. iv. i, 'Tis like a Ball at Tennis..When we doe speak at volley, all the ill we can one of another. 1686 F. Spence tr. St. Euvremont's Misc. Pref., Otherwise we cannot lay hold of him, he speaks at volley and universally. [1820 Scott Monast. xvii, I have always known you..prompt to speak at the volley and without reflection.]

(b) 1629 Massinger Picture iii. vi, What we spake on the voley begins to work. 1630 B. Jonson New Inn i vi, You must not giue credit To all that Ladies publiquely professe, Or talke, o'th vollee, vnto their seruants. 1831 Fraser's Mag. Sept. 161/1 He never speaks ‘on the voley’ (that is to say, at random).

    6. a. Real Tennis. The flight of a ball in play before it has touched the ground. Cf. fly n.² 2 b.

1596 Nashe Saffron Walden To Rdr. 24 One that stands, as it were, at the line in a Tennis-court, and takes euerie ball at the volly. 1878 Marshall Ann. Tennis 112 He frequently takes a difficult service (at the volley) off the pent⁓house.

    b. Real Tennis, Lawn Tennis, Cricket, etc. A return stroke or hit at a ball before it has touched the ground; the action of so returning the ball. (Cf. half-volley half- II. i.)

1851 J. Pycroft Cricket Field v. 79 At Woolwich he hit a volley to long field for nine. 1862 Temple Bar VI. 282 [Mr. Budd] is said to have hit a volley to long-field for nine. 1884 Marshall's Tennis Cuts 124 The match was..loudly applauded every now and then by the spectators, when a brilliant volley was called, or a smash was declared. 1902 Sat. Rev. 12 July 51/1 Instruction is given in the underhand volley [in lawn-tennis].

    c. = volleyer.

1878 Marshall Ann. Tennis 112 He was a powerful force, and a capital volley.

    7. attrib. and Comb., as volley-boast, volley loophole, † volley-shot, volley system; volley-ball, volleyball orig. U.S., a game in which a ball is struck from alternate sides of a high net without touching the ground (Cent. Dict. Suppl.); also attrib.; also, the ball used in this game; volley-firing, simultaneous firing at the word of command by successive parties of soldiers; also fig.; volley gun, a form of machine-gun which fires bullets successively or in a volley (Knight, 1884).

1896 Physical Education V. 50/1 Mr. W. G. Morgan of Holyoke, Mass., has developed a game..which is called *Volley Ball... The play consists in keeping a ball in motion over a high net,..thus partaking of the character of two games,—tennis and hand ball. 1936 P. Fleming News from Tartary vii. i. 325 In the evening we played tennis with the Russians, or football or volley-ball with the Hunza guard. 1949 Dziennik Zwiazkowy (Chicago) 19 Nov. 6/3 Last year two of our volleyball teams finished in a tie for second place. 1976 Milton Keynes Express 4 June 39/7 Stoke Mandeville has told the club that any money raised for them will be used to purchase table tennis nets and volleyballs for the National Spinal Injuries Centre.

1878 Marshall Ann. Tennis 197 He..would generally return it by a *volley-boast against the main-wall.

1859 Musketry Instr. 62 Every file is to have its own target, and the hits are to be counted as in *volley firing. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. III. 267 The superior efficacy of volley-firing and reserved fire. 1891 Daily News 2 Oct. 5/5 In the..Town Hall of Newcastle the representative fighting men of the Liberal party were assembled for volley firing.

1898 Sir G. S. Robertson Chitral xxiii. 225 *Volley loopholes are good against an enemy that attacks with a masterful rush.

1689 Lond. Gaz. No. 2433/3 The Night concluded with Dancing, Bells Ringing, Bonfires, *Volly-shots. 1702 Ibid. No. 3793/3 The 2 Companies of Foot..gave a Volley Shot at each Proclamation.

1899 Westm. Gaz. 15 Sept. 2/3 There has for some time been a feeling in the air that the *volley system was going.

▪ II. volley, v.
    (ˈvɒlɪ)
    Forms: 7 volly (8–9 pa. tense vollied); 6– volley.
    [f. prec.]
    1. trans. a. To utter (words, etc.) rapidly or impetuously. Usually with advs., as forth, off, out.

1591 Troub. Raigne K. John i. (1611) 62 A prophet new sprung up, whose diuination volleis wonders foorth. Ibid. ii. 73 If sobs would helpe,..My heart should volley out deepe piercing plaints. 1593 Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 921 Another flapmouthd mourner, blacke, and grim, Against the welkin volies out his voyce. 1754 P. H. Hiberniad 37 She raves, and vollies off an horrid Cry. 1824 Scott St. Ronan's xx, The bursts of applause which were vollied towards the stage. 1859 Meredith R. Feverel xxxviii, Sir Julius turned one heel, and volleyed out silver laughter. 1885–94 R. Bridges Eros & Psyche Aug. xii, She saw an uncouth form..whose parted lips Volley'd their friendly warning in a storm.

    b. To discharge (arrows, shot, etc.) in a volley.
    Cf. volleyed ppl. a. 3.

1839 Bailey Festus 139 When the storm bends his bow, And volleys all his arrows off at once.

    c. Tennis, etc. To return (a ball) in play before it touches the ground; to reply to (a service) in this way. Also, Assoc. Football, to kick (the ball) before it touches the ground; to score (a goal) in this way.

1875 ‘Stonehenge’ Brit. Rur. Sports (ed. 12) iii. i. v. 690/1 The service must not be volleyed. 1878 [see 2 b]. 1902 Sat. Rev. 12 July 51/2 It is bad policy to give the advice not to volley a lob. 1909 in Webster. 1972 G. Green Great Moments in Sport: Soccer viii. 85 He vollied [sic] in Bowen's clever lob with half an hour left. 1976 Scotsman 25 Nov. 25/1 In 52 minutes Somner volleyed a goal from McQuade's cross. 1976 Norwich Mercury 10 Dec., It was he who provided the perfect pass for Mann to volley the ball against the St. Andrews crossbar before the interval.

    d. Cricket. To bowl or deliver (a ball) which reaches the batsman before bouncing. ? U.S.

1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl.

    e. To fire a volley or volleys at.

1908 Hardy Dynasts III. vii. ii. 489 Kempt's brigade..volleys murderously Donzelot's columns..and repulses them.

    2. absol. a. To fire a volley (or volleys). Also in fig. context.
    Common in 19th-cent. journalistic use, prob. after quot. 1854.

1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. ii. vii. 119 Then the Boy shall sing, The holding euery man shall beate as loud, As his strong sides can volly. 1854 Tennyson Charge Light Brigade v, Cannon behind them Volley'd and thunder'd. 1899 Westm. Gaz. 2 Jan. 2/1 A large line of guerillas..decided swiftly that their presence and position were discovered, and swiftly they volleyed.

    b. Tennis, etc. To hit or return the ball before it bounces; to make a volley-stroke.

1819 in Hone Every-day Bk. (1825) I. 867 He never volleyed [i.e. at fives], but let the balls hop. 1878 Marshall Ann. Tennis 197 A young player, if he fancies he can volley well, will always be apt to volley balls which would come well off the end-walls. 1892 Pall Mall G. 20 July 7/2 F. Rooke..volleyed more effectively than his opponent.

    3. intr. a. To emit or produce sounds simultaneously or continuously, in a manner suggestive of firearms or artillery.
    In 19th-cent. use freq. in ‘to volley and thunder’, after quot. 1854 in sense 2 a.

1810 Southey Kehama xxiii. xi, When its thunder broke,..while it vollied round the vault of Hell, Earth's solid arch was shaken with the shock. 1875 L. Morris Children Street i, Every day come they there, Afternoon foul or fair, Shouting and volleying. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped xxix, For some time Alan volleyed upon the door, and his knocking only roused the echoes of the house.

    b. To rush, roll, or stream with simultaneous motion; to shoot rapidly.

1853 C. Brontë Villette vii, About a hundred thoughts volleyed through my mind in a moment. 1880 Blackmore Mary Anerley I. x. 129 The crest of the wave volleys up the incline.

    c. To issue or be discharged in, or after the manner of, a volley.

1887 Bowen æneid i. 150 Firebrands fly, stones volley, the weapons furnished of wrath. Ibid. iii. 577 Molten masses of stone to the skies with a groan and a roar Volley in showers.

▪ III. volley
    southern dial. var. follow v.

Oxford English Dictionary