bomb
♦♦ bomb /b'ɒm/ (bombs bombing bombed)
1 [N-COUNT]
A bomb is a device which explodes and damages or destroys a large area.
Bombs went off at two London train stations...
It's not known who planted the bomb...
Most of the bombs fell in the south...
There were two bomb explosions in the city overnight.
2 [N-SING] the N
Nuclear weapons are sometimes referred to as the bomb.
They are generally thought to have the bomb.
3 [VERB] V n
When people bomb a place, they attack it with bombs.
Airforce jets bombed the airport.
● bombing [N-VAR]
Aerial bombing of rebel positions is continuing...
There has been a series of car bombings.
4
see also petrol bomb, pipe bombatom|ic bomb (atomic bombs)
The form atom bomb is also used, mainly in British English.
[N-COUNT]
An atomic bomb or an atom bomb is a bomb that causes an explosion by a sudden release of energy that results from splitting atoms.bomb dis|pos|al
[N-UNCOUNT] usu N n
Bomb disposal is the job of dealing with bombs which have not exploded, by taking out the fuse or by blowing them up in a controlled explosion.
...an Army bomb disposal squad.bomb out
[PHRASAL VERB] be V-ed P
If a building or area is bombed out, it is destroyed by bombs. If people are bombed out, their houses are destroyed by bombs.
London had been bombed out...
see also bombed-outbomb site (bomb sites)
also bombsite
[N-COUNT]
A bomb site is an empty area where a bomb has destroyed all the buildings.
In London, where I grew up, we were surrounded by bomb sites.car bomb (car bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A car bomb is a bomb which is inside a car, van, or truck.clus|ter bomb (cluster bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A cluster bomb is a type of bomb which is dropped from an aircraft. It contains a large number of smaller bombs that spread out before they hit the ground.dirty bomb (dirty bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A dirty bomb is a nuclear bomb that uses explosives to release radioactive material over a wide area.hydro|gen bomb (hydrogen bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A hydrogen bomb is a nuclear bomb in which energy is released from hydrogen atoms.let|ter bomb (letter bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A letter bomb is a small bomb which is disguised as a letter or parcel and sent to someone through the post. It is designed to explode when it is opened.log|ic bomb (logic bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A logic bomb is an unauthorized program that is inserted into a computer system so that when it is started it affects the operation of the computer. (COMPUTING)nail bomb (nail bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A nail bomb is a bomb which contains nails that are intended to cause a lot of damage and injury when the bomb goes off.neu|tron bomb (neutron bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A neutron bomb is a nuclear weapon that is designed to kill people and animals without a large explosion and without destroying buildings or causing serious radioactive pollution.par|cel bomb (parcel bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A parcel bomb is a small bomb which is sent in a parcel through the post and which is designed to explode when the parcel is opened. (BRIT)pet|rol bomb (petrol bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A petrol bomb is a simple bomb consisting of a bottle full of petrol with a cloth in it that is lit just before the bottle is thrown. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use Molotov cocktail)pipe bomb (pipe bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A pipe bomb is a small bomb in a narrow tube made by someone such as a terrorist.smoke bomb (smoke bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A smoke bomb is a bomb that produces clouds of smoke when it explodes.time bomb (time bombs)
also time-bomb
1 [N-COUNT]
A time bomb is a bomb with a mechanism that causes it to explode at a particular time.
2 [N-COUNT] oft adj N
If you describe something as a time bomb, you mean that it is likely to have a serious effect on a person or situation at a later date, especially if you think it will cause a lot of damage.
This proposal is a political time bomb that could cost the government the next election...
1 [N-COUNT]
A bomb is a device which explodes and damages or destroys a large area.
Bombs went off at two London train stations...
It's not known who planted the bomb...
Most of the bombs fell in the south...
There were two bomb explosions in the city overnight.
2 [N-SING] the N
Nuclear weapons are sometimes referred to as the bomb.
They are generally thought to have the bomb.
3 [VERB] V n
When people bomb a place, they attack it with bombs.
Airforce jets bombed the airport.
● bombing [N-VAR]
Aerial bombing of rebel positions is continuing...
There has been a series of car bombings.
4
see also petrol bomb, pipe bombatom|ic bomb (atomic bombs)
The form atom bomb is also used, mainly in British English.
[N-COUNT]
An atomic bomb or an atom bomb is a bomb that causes an explosion by a sudden release of energy that results from splitting atoms.bomb dis|pos|al
[N-UNCOUNT] usu N n
Bomb disposal is the job of dealing with bombs which have not exploded, by taking out the fuse or by blowing them up in a controlled explosion.
...an Army bomb disposal squad.bomb out
[PHRASAL VERB] be V-ed P
If a building or area is bombed out, it is destroyed by bombs. If people are bombed out, their houses are destroyed by bombs.
London had been bombed out...
see also bombed-outbomb site (bomb sites)
also bombsite
[N-COUNT]
A bomb site is an empty area where a bomb has destroyed all the buildings.
In London, where I grew up, we were surrounded by bomb sites.car bomb (car bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A car bomb is a bomb which is inside a car, van, or truck.clus|ter bomb (cluster bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A cluster bomb is a type of bomb which is dropped from an aircraft. It contains a large number of smaller bombs that spread out before they hit the ground.dirty bomb (dirty bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A dirty bomb is a nuclear bomb that uses explosives to release radioactive material over a wide area.hydro|gen bomb (hydrogen bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A hydrogen bomb is a nuclear bomb in which energy is released from hydrogen atoms.let|ter bomb (letter bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A letter bomb is a small bomb which is disguised as a letter or parcel and sent to someone through the post. It is designed to explode when it is opened.log|ic bomb (logic bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A logic bomb is an unauthorized program that is inserted into a computer system so that when it is started it affects the operation of the computer. (COMPUTING)nail bomb (nail bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A nail bomb is a bomb which contains nails that are intended to cause a lot of damage and injury when the bomb goes off.neu|tron bomb (neutron bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A neutron bomb is a nuclear weapon that is designed to kill people and animals without a large explosion and without destroying buildings or causing serious radioactive pollution.par|cel bomb (parcel bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A parcel bomb is a small bomb which is sent in a parcel through the post and which is designed to explode when the parcel is opened. (BRIT)pet|rol bomb (petrol bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A petrol bomb is a simple bomb consisting of a bottle full of petrol with a cloth in it that is lit just before the bottle is thrown. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use Molotov cocktail)pipe bomb (pipe bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A pipe bomb is a small bomb in a narrow tube made by someone such as a terrorist.smoke bomb (smoke bombs)
[N-COUNT]
A smoke bomb is a bomb that produces clouds of smoke when it explodes.time bomb (time bombs)
also time-bomb
1 [N-COUNT]
A time bomb is a bomb with a mechanism that causes it to explode at a particular time.
2 [N-COUNT] oft adj N
If you describe something as a time bomb, you mean that it is likely to have a serious effect on a person or situation at a later date, especially if you think it will cause a lot of damage.
This proposal is a political time bomb that could cost the government the next election...