crossbow
n. countable B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈkɹɔsˌboʊ// UK //kɹˈɒsbəʊ// cross·bow
n. a weapon that looks like a small bow fixed across a wooden handle. It has a trigger that you pull to shoot short, heavy arrows.
n. a medieval weapon consisting of a bow mounted transversely on a stock, which fires projectiles via a trigger mechanism.
The hunter used a crossbow to hit the target.
Historical reenactors often demonstrate how a crossbow was much easier for a soldier to master than a traditional longbow.
While the longbow required years of physical training to operate effectively, the mechanical advantage of the crossbow allowed relatively unskilled infantry to pierce heavy plate armour from a distance.
Usage
Commonly takes the verb 'fire' or 'shoot'; the projectiles are specifically called 'bolts' or 'quarrels'.