bomb
pronunciation
How to pronounce bomb in British English:
UK [bɒm]
How to pronounce bomb in American English:
US [bɑːm]
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- Noun:
- an explosive device fused to denote under specific conditions
- strong sealed vessel for measuring heat of combustion
- an event that fails badly or is totally ineffectual
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- Verb:
- throw bombs at or attack with bombs
- fail to get a passing grade
Word Origin
- bomb
- bomb: [17] Bomb is ultimately of onomatopoeic origin, and can probably be traced back to Greek bómbos, a word for a booming or buzzing sound. This passed into Latin as bombus, the probable source of Italian bomba, which acquired more explosive connotations. English got the word via French bombe. The derivative bombard preceded bomb into English, in the 15th century.=> bound
- bomb (n.)
- 1580s, from French bombe, from Italian bomba, probably from Latin bombus "a deep, hollow noise; a buzzing or booming sound," from Greek bombos "deep and hollow sound," echoic. Originally of mortar shells, etc.; modern sense of "explosive device placed by hand or dropped from airplane" is 1909. Meaning "old car" is from 1953. Meaning "success" is from 1954 (late 1990s slang the bomb "the best" is probably a fresh formation); opposite sense of "a failure" is from 1963. The bomb "atomic bomb" is from 1945.
- bomb (v.)
- 1680s, from bomb (n.). Meaning "to fail" attested from 1963. Related: Bombed; bombing. Slang bombed "drunk" is attested by 1956.
Example
- 1. The bomb blast left 25 people dead .
- 2. H5n1 could become the atom bomb of biological warfare .
- 3. But they fear his planes circling overhead are out to bomb them .
- 4. Tehran will ultimately make its own decision about the bomb .
- 5. The security gaps revealed by the foiled christmas bomb plot were being closed .