Adjacent Words

Explode definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EXPLO'DE, v.i. [L. explodo; ex and plaudo, to utter a burst of sound, from the root of loud.]
Properly, to burst forth, as sound; to utter a report with sudden violence. Hence, to burst and expand with force and a violent report, as an elastic fluid. We say, gun powder explodes, on the application of fire; a volcano explodes; a meteor explodes.
EXPLO'DE, v.t. To decry or reject with noise; to express disapprobation of, with noise or marks of contempt; as, to explode a play on the state. Hence,
1. To reject with any marks of disapprobation or disdain; to treat with contempt, and drive from notice; to drive into disrepute; or in general, to condemn; to reject; to cry down. Astrology is now exploded.
2. To drive out with violence and noise. [Little used.]
The kindled powder exploded the ball.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: cause to burst with a violent release of energy; "We exploded the nuclear bomb" [syn: explode, detonate, blow up, set off]
2: burst outward, usually with noise; "The champagne bottle exploded" [syn: explode, burst] [ant: go off, implode]
3: show a violent emotional reaction; "The boss exploded when he heard of the resignation of the secretary"
4: be unleashed; emerge with violence or noise; "His anger exploded" [syn: explode, burst forth, break loose]
5: destroy by exploding; "The enemy exploded the bridge"
6: cause to burst as a result of air pressure; of stop consonants like /p/, /t/, and /k/
7: drive from the stage by noisy disapproval
8: show (a theory or claim) to be baseless, or refute and make obsolete
9: burst and release energy as through a violent chemical or physical reaction;"the bomb detonated at noon"; "The Molotov cocktail exploded" [syn: detonate, explode, blow up]
10: increase rapidly and in an uncontrolled manner; "The population of India is exploding"; "The island's rodent population irrupted" [syn: explode, irrupt]

Merriam Webster's

verb (exploded; exploding) Etymology: Latin explodere to drive off the stage by clapping, from ex- + plaudere to clap Date: 1605 transitive verb 1. archaic to drive from the stage by noisy disapproval 2. to bring into disrepute or discredit <explode a theory> 3. to cause to explode or burst noisily <explode a bomb> intransitive verb 1. to burst forth with sudden violence or noise from internal energy: as a. to undergo a rapid chemical or nuclear reaction with the production of noise, heat, and violent expansion of gases <dynamite explodes> b. to burst violently as a result of pressure from within 2. a. to give forth a sudden strong and noisy outburst of emotion <exploded in anger> b. to move with sudden speed and force <exploded from the starting gate> 3. to increase rapidly <the population of the city exploded> 4. to suggest an explosion (as in appearance or effect) <shrubs exploded with blossoms> • exploder noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. 1 a intr. (of gas, gunpowder, a bomb, a boiler, etc.) expand suddenly with a loud noise owing to a release of internal energy. b tr. cause (a bomb etc.) to explode. 2 intr. give vent suddenly to emotion, esp. anger. 3 intr. (of a population etc.) increase suddenly or rapidly. 4 tr. show (a theory etc.) to be false or baseless. 5 tr. (as exploded adj.) (of a drawing etc.) showing the components of a mechanism as if separated by an explosion but in the normal relative positions. Derivatives: exploder n. Etymology: earliest in sense
4: L explodere hiss off the stage (as EX-(1), plodere plos- = plaudere clap)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Explode Ex*plode", v. t. 1. To drive from the stage by noisy expressions of disapprobation; to hoot off; to drive away or reject noisily; as, to explode a play. [Obs.] Him old and young Exploded, and seized with violent hands. --Milton. 2. To bring into disrepute, and reject; to drive from notice and acceptance; as, to explode a scheme, fashion, or doctrine. Old exploded contrivances of mercantile fraud. --Burke. To explode and exterminate dark atheism. --Bently. 3. To cause to explode or burst noisily; to detonate; as, to explode powder by touching it with fire. 4. To drive out with violence and noise, as by powder. But late the kindled powder did explode The massy ball and the brass tube unload. --Blackmore.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Explode Ex*plode", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Exploded; p. pr. & vb. n. Exploding.] [L. explodere, explosum, to drive out, drive out a player by clapping; ex out+plaudere, plodere, to clap, strike, applaud: cf. OF. exploder. See Plausible.] 1. To become suddenly expanded into a great volume of gas or vapor; to burst violently into flame; as gunpowder explodes. 2. To burst with force and a loud report; to detonate, as a shell filled with powder or the like material, or as a boiler from too great pressure of steam. 3. To burst forth with sudden violence and noise; as, at this, his wrath exploded.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(explodes, exploding, exploded) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. If an object such as a bomb explodes or if someone or something explodes it, it bursts loudly and with great force, often causing damage or injury. They were clearing up when the second bomb exploded... A school bus was hit by gunfire which exploded the fuel tank. VERB: V, V n 2. If someone explodes, they express strong feelings suddenly and violently. Do you fear that you'll burst into tears or explode with anger in front of her?... 'What happened!' I exploded... George caught the look and decided that Bess had better leave before she exploded. VERB: V with n, V with quote, V 3. If something explodes, it increases suddenly and rapidly in number or intensity. The population explodes to 40,000 during the tourist season... Investment by Japanese firms has exploded. VERB: V to n, V 4. If someone explodes a theory or myth, they prove that it is wrong or impossible. Electricity privatisation has exploded the myth of cheap nuclear power... VERB: V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Discharge, burst, displode, detonate. 2. Discard, repudiate, scout, scorn, contemn, cry down, treat with contempt, bring into disrepute. II. v. n. Burst, displode, detonate, be discharged.

Moby Thesaurus

backfire, bang, bark, be angry, be excitable, belie, bellow, blast, blow a fuse, blow a gasket, blow out, blow sky-high, blow up, break out, burst, burst forth, bust, catch fire, catch the infection, coal, come apart, come to nothing, crack, debunk, deflate, detonate, discharge, disconfirm, discredit, disprove, erupt, excite easily, expose, fail miserably, feed, fill up, fire, fire up, fizz out, fizzle, fizzle out, flame up, flare up, flash up, flip, fly apart, fly out, freak out, fuel, fuel up, fulminate, get excited, get nowhere, go into hysterics, go off, go phut, hang up, have a tantrum, hit the ceiling, invalidate, let off, misfire, mushroom, negate, negative, oil, poop out, pop, prove the contrary, puncture, rage, ramp, rant, rant and rave, rave, refuel, refute, reject, repudiate, run a temperature, seethe, set off, shoot, show up, smolder, stoke, storm, take fire, top off, touch off, turn a hair, undercut