launch

To throw (a projectile such as a lance, dart or ball); to hurl; to propel with force.transitive

• There they were met by four thousand Ha'apa'a warriors, who launched a volley of stones and spears[…]

To pierce with, or as with, a lance.obsoletetransitive

• And launch your hearts with lamentable wounds.

To cause (a vessel) to move or slide from the land or a larger vessel into the water; to set afloat.transitive

• 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.

To cause (a rocket, balloon, etc., or the payload thereof) to begin its flight upward from the ground.transitive

• NASA launched several unmanned rockets before launching any of the Mercury astronauts.

To send out; to start (someone) on a mission or project; to give a start to (something); to put in operationtransitive

• Our business launched a new project.

To start (a program or feature); to execute or bring into operation.transitive

• Double-click an icon to launch the associated application.

To release; to put onto the market for saletransitive

• On September 3rd Bionym, a Canadian firm, launched Nymi, a bracelet which detects the wearer’s heartbeat.

Of a ship, rocket, balloon, etc.: to depart on a voyage; to take off.intransitive

To move with force and swiftness like a sliding from the stocks into the water; to plunge; to begin.intransitiveoften

• to launch into an argument or discussion
• to launch into lavish expenditures

To start to operate.intransitive

• After clicking the icon, the application will launch.

The movement of a vessel from land into the water; especially, the sliding on ways from the stocks on which it is built. (Compare: to splash a ship.)

The act or fact of launching (a ship/vessel, a project, a new book, etc.).

• Dotcom mania was slow in coming to higher education, but now it has the venerable industry firmly in its grip. Since the launch early last year of Udacity and Coursera, two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, mas
• The initial awards will give $316 million to SpaceX for one launch and $337 million to ULA for two launches. […] Military officials did not say exactly how many launches that might enetail^([sic]), nor did they provide a total contract valu

An event held to celebrate the launch of a ship/vessel, project, a new book, etc.; a launch party.

• product launch
• book launch

The boat of the largest size and/or of most importance belonging to a ship of war, and often called the "captain's boat" or "captain's launch".

A boat used to convey guests to and from a yacht.

An open boat of any size powered by steam, petrol, electricity, etc.