Launch \Launch\, n. 1. The act of launching. 2. The movement of a vessel from land into the water; especially, the sliding on ways from the stocks on which it is built. 3. [Cf. Sp. lancha.] (Naut.) The boat of the largest size belonging to a ship of war; also, an open boat of any size driven by steam, naphtha, electricity, or the like. {Launching ways}. (Naut.) See {Way}, n. (Naut.).