launch

1. (transitive) To throw (a projectile such as a lance, dart or ball); to hurl; to propel with force.Examples: "There they were met by four thousand Ha'apa'a warriors, who launched a volley of stones and spears[…]"Synonyms: fling, hurl, bung, cast, chuck, chunk, cook, dashtransitive

2. (transitive, obsolete) To pierce with, or as with, a lance.Examples: "And launch your hearts with lamentable wounds."Synonyms: lance, pierceobsoletetransitive

3. (transitive) To cause (a vessel) to move or slide from the land or a larger vessel into the water; to set afloat.Examples: "Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught."; "1725–1726, Alexander Pope, Homer's Odyssey (translation), Book V With stays and cordage last he rigged the ship, / And rolled on levers, launched her in the deep."; "The navy launched another ship."transitive

4. (transitive) To cause (a rocket, balloon, etc., or the payload thereof) to begin its flight upward from the ground.Examples: "A cheap rocket that could launch military reconnaisance satellites for developing countries has become involved in a tangled web of Nazi rocket scientists, Penthouse magazine, KGB disinformation, and a treaty reminiscent of the height of colonialism in Africa."; "NASA launched several unmanned rockets before launching any of the Mercury astronauts."transitive

5. (transitive) To send out; to start (someone) on a mission or project; to give a start to (something); to put in operationExamples: "Our business launched a new project."; "All art is uſed to ſink Epiſcopacy, & lanch Presbytery in England."; "Here was my chance. I took the old man aside, and two or three glasses of Old Crow launched him into reminiscence."transitive

6. (transitive, computing) To start (a program or feature); to execute or bring into operation.Examples: "Double-click an icon to launch the associated application."transitive