explosive


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ex·plo·sive

 (ĭk-splō′sĭv)
adj.
1. Relating to or having the nature of an explosion.
2. Tending to explode.
n.
1. A substance, especially a prepared chemical, that explodes or causes explosion.
2. Linguistics A plosive.

ex·plo′sive·ly adv.
ex·plo′sive·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

explosive

(ɪkˈspləʊsɪv)
adj
1. of, involving, or characterized by an explosion or explosions
2. capable of exploding or tending to explode
3. potentially violent or hazardous; dangerous: an explosive situation.
4. (Phonetics & Phonology) phonetics another word for plosive
n
5. (Chemistry) a substance that decomposes rapidly under certain conditions with the production of gases, which expand by the heat of the reaction. The energy released is used in firearms, blasting, and rocket propulsion
6. (Phonetics & Phonology) a plosive consonant; stop
exˈplosively adv
exˈplosiveness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ex•plo•sive

(ɪkˈsploʊ sɪv)

adj.
1. tending or serving to explode: an explosive temper.
2. pertaining to or of the nature of an explosion: explosive violence.
3. likely to lead to violence or hostility: an explosive issue.
n.
5. an explosive agent or substance.
[1660–70]
ex•plo′sive•ly, adv.
ex•plo′sive•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

explosive

A substance or mixture of substances which, under external influences, is capable of rapidly releasing energy in the form of gases and heat.
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.explosive - a chemical substance that undergoes a rapid chemical change (with the production of gas) on being heated or struckexplosive - a chemical substance that undergoes a rapid chemical change (with the production of gas) on being heated or struck
burster, bursting charge, explosive charge, charge - a quantity of explosive to be set off at one time; "this cartridge has a powder charge of 50 grains"
explosive compound - a compound that is explosive
explosive device - device that bursts with sudden violence from internal energy
explosive mixture - a mixture that is explosive
impulse explosive, propellant explosive - an explosive that is used to propel projectiles from guns or to propel rockets and missiles or to launch torpedos and depth charges
payload, warhead, load - the front part of a guided missile or rocket or torpedo that carries the nuclear or explosive charge or the chemical or biological agents
azoimide, HN, hydrazoic acid, hydrogen azide - a colorless explosive liquid that is volatile and poisonous and foul-smelling
chemical, chemical substance - material produced by or used in a reaction involving changes in atoms or molecules
high explosive - a powerful chemical explosive that produces gas at a very high rate
low explosive - an explosive with a low rate of combustion
gunpowder, powder - a mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur in a 75:15:10 ratio which is used in gunnery, time fuses, and fireworks
Ballistite, smokeless powder - an explosive (trade name Ballistite) that burns with relatively little smoke; contains pyrocellulose and is used as a propellant
nitramine, tetryl - a yellow crystalline explosive solid that is used in detonators
Adj.1.explosive - serving to explode or characterized by explosion or sudden outburst; "an explosive device"; "explosive gas"; "explosive force"; "explosive violence"; "an explosive temper"
nonexplosive - not explosive; "nonexplosive gases"; "a nonexplosive fuel"
2.explosive - liable to lead to sudden change or violenceexplosive - liable to lead to sudden change or violence; "an explosive issue"; "a volatile situation with troops and rioters eager for a confrontation"
unstable - lacking stability or fixity or firmness; "unstable political conditions"; "the tower proved to be unstable in the high wind"; "an unstable world economy"
3.explosive - sudden and loud; "an explosive laugh"
sudden - happening without warning or in a short space of time; "a sudden storm"; "a sudden decision"; "a sudden cure"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

explosive

noun
1. bomb, mine, shell, missile, rocket, grenade, charge, torpedo, incendiary A large quantity of arms and explosives was seized.
adjective
1. unstable, dangerous, volatile, hazardous, unsafe, perilous, combustible, inflammable Highly explosive gas is naturally found in coal mines.
2. sudden, rapid, marked, unexpected, startling, swift, abrupt the explosive growth of computer networks
4. fiery, violent, volatile, stormy, touchy, vehement, chippy (informal) He inherited his father's explosive temper.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
مَادَّةٌ مُتَفَجِّرَةمادَّه مُتَفَجِّرَهمُتَفَجِّر، قابِل للإنْفِجار
výbušninavýbušný
sprængstofeksplosivsprængfarlig
räjähderäjähdysaineräjähdysherkkäräjähdysmäinenräjähtävä
eksploziv
robbanórobbanószer
sprengiefni; sprengifimt efnisprengifimur
爆発物
폭발성의
výbušninavýbušný
eksploziveksploziven
sprängämne
สิ่งที่ระเบิดได้
chất nổ

explosive

[ɪksˈpləʊzɪv]
A. ADJ
1. (lit) [gas, mixture, force] → explosivo
an explosive deviceun artefacto explosivo
2. (fig) [combination, growth] → explosivo; [situation, issue] → explosivo, candente
he has an explosive tempertiene un temperamento explosivo
B. Nexplosivo m
C. CPD explosives expert Nartificiero/a m/f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

explosive

[ɪkˈspləʊsɪv]
adj
[device] → explosif/ive; [effect] → explosif/ive
(= dangerous) [situation] → explosif/ive
(= controversial) [issue] → explosif/ive
(= hot-tempered) [person] → explosif/ive; [temper] → explosif/ive
nexplosif m
Traces of explosives were found → On a trouvé des traces d'explosifs.explosive device nengin m explosif
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

explosive

nSprengstoff m
adj
(lit) gas, mixtureexplosiv; explosive deviceSprengsatz m; explosive chargeSprengladung f; explosive power or forceSprengkraft f
(fig: = volatile) situation, issue, problem, mixtureexplosiv, brisant; argument, reactionheftig; person, temperaufbrausend
(fig) (= sudden) noise, applauseexplosionsartig; startexplosiv; (= rapid) growthexplosionsartig
(Phon) → Verschluss-, explosiv
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

explosive

[ɪksˈpləʊzɪv]
1. adj (also) (fig) → esplosivo/a
2. nesplosivo
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

explode

(ikˈspləud) verb
1. to (cause to) blow up with a loud noise. The bomb exploded; The police exploded the bomb where it could cause no damage.
2. suddenly to show strong feeling. The teacher exploded with anger; The children exploded into laughter.
3. to prove (a theory etc) wrong.
exˈplosion (-ʒən) noun
1. a blowing up, or the noise caused by this. a gas explosion; The explosion could be heard a long way off.
2. the action of exploding. the explosion of the atom bomb.
3. a sudden showing of strong feelings etc. an explosion of laughter.
4. a sudden great increase. an explosion in food prices.
exˈplosive (-siv) adjective
likely to explode. Hydrogen is a dangerously explosive gas.
noun
(a) material that is likely to explode. gelignite and other explosives.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

explosive

مَادَّةٌ مُتَفَجِّرَة výbušnina sprængstof Sprengstoff εκρηκτικό explosivo räjähde explosif eksploziv esplosivo 爆発物 폭발성의 explosief sprengstoff materiał wybuchowy explosivo взрывчатое вещество sprängämne สิ่งที่ระเบิดได้ patlayıcı madde chất nổ 爆炸物
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
References in classic literature ?
Above our heads the explosive booming gusts of wind passed continuously, justifying the sailor's saying "It blows great guns." And just from that need of human companionship, being very close to the man, I said, or rather shouted:
I'd rather go to my friend, the Explosive Lieutenant; how I shall surprise him, what a sensation I shall make!
Finally, I suggested that we experiment with it and see what it would do, so Perry built a fire, after placing the powder at a safe distance, and then touched a glow-ing ember to a minute particle of the deadly explosive. It extinguished the ember.
"Now Tom, about this business of leasing to the English Government the right to manufac- ture that new explosive of yours," began Ned, plunging into the business at hand.
We possessed every known engine, from the harpoon thrown by the hand to the barbed arrows of the blunderbuss, and the explosive balls of the duck-gun.
Farebrother, after an explosive laugh, "you know very well that Lydgate is of a good family in the North.
Michael possessed no trace of hysteria, though he was more temperamentally excitable and explosive than his blood-brother Jerry, while his father and mother were a sedate old couple indeed compared with him.
Now cotton, combined with cold nitric acid, become transformed into a substance eminently insoluble, combustible, and explosive. It was first discovered in 1832, by Braconnot, a French chemist, who called it xyloidine.
Bounderby, having got it into his explosive composition that Mrs.
The weight of these rifles is comparatively little, and with the small caliber, explosive, radium projectiles which they use, and the great length of the barrel, they are deadly in the extreme and at ranges which would be unthinkable on Earth.
He stepped as if he expected to tread upon some explosive thing.
They read with interest, if not with avidity, of their new guns, of their immense and still more immense ironclads, of their incredible and still more incredible explosives, but just what these tremendous engines of destruction might mean for their personal lives never entered their heads.