gunpowder
pronunciation
How to pronounce gunpowder in British English:
UK [ˈɡʌnpaʊdə(r)]
How to pronounce gunpowder in American English:
US [ˈɡʌnpaʊdər]
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- Noun:
- a mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur in a 75:15:10 ratio which is used in gunnery, time fuses, and fireworks
Word Origin
- gunpowder (n.)
- "explosive powder for the discharge of projectiles from guns," early 15c., from gun (n.) + powder (n.). The Gunpowder Plot (or treason or conspiracy) was a plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament on Nov. 5, 1605, while the King, Lords and Commons were assembled there in revenge for the laws against Catholics (see guy (n.2)).
Example
- 1. Its vaunted invention of gunpowder had spluttered into firecrackers .
- 2. All models incorporated a revolving cylinder into which gunpowder and bullets were loaded .
- 3. Catholics did not get back into parliament for 224 years after the gunpowder plot .
- 4. Like gunpowder and printing , china had etiquette before most of the rest of us .
- 5. Urine was used for tanning leather and in the making of saltpetre , an important component of gunpowder .