dynamite
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dy·na·mite
(dī′nə-mīt′)n.
1. Any of a class of powerful explosives composed of nitroglycerin or ammonium nitrate dispersed in an absorbent medium with a combustible dope, such as wood pulp, and an antacid, such as calcium carbonate, used in blasting and mining.
2. Slang
a. Something exceptionally exciting or wonderful.
b. Something exceptionally dangerous: These allegations are political dynamite.
tr.v. dy·na·mit·ed, dy·na·mit·ing, dy·na·mites
To blow up, shatter, or otherwise destroy with dynamite.
adj. Slang
Outstanding; superb: a dynamite performance; a dynamite outfit.
[Swedish dynamit, from Greek dunamis, power; see dynamic.]
dy′na·mit′er n.
Word History: The Nobel Prizes were established by the Swedish chemist and industrialist Alfred Nobel (1833-1896) with funds from his immense personal fortune, amassed in part through the manufacture of explosives and armaments. Nobel was the inventor of dynamite—he had discovered that the highly explosive chemical compound nitroglycerine could be made easier to transport and handle if it was mixed with an inert substance. To name his mixture, Nobel invented the word dynamite. Originally coined in Swedish in the form dynamit, the word was compounded from Greek dunamis, "power," and the Swedish suffix -it, which corresponds to the English suffix -ite used to form the names of rocks, minerals, commercial products, and other substances. Greek dunamis also gave us words such as dynamic and dynamo. Dunamis is related to the Greek verb dunasthai, "to be able," from which comes English dynasty, denoting a family or group that wields power over several generations.
dynamite
(ˈdaɪnəˌmaɪt)n
1. (Firearms, Gunnery, Ordnance & Artillery) an explosive consisting of nitroglycerine or ammonium nitrate mixed with kieselguhr, sawdust, or wood pulp
2. informal a spectacular or potentially dangerous person or thing
vb
(Firearms, Gunnery, Ordnance & Artillery) (tr) to mine or blow up with dynamite
[C19 (coined by Alfred Nobel): from dynamo- + -ite1]
ˈdynaˌmiter n
dy•na•mite
(ˈdaɪ nəˌmaɪt)n., v. -mit•ed, -mit•ing,
adj. n.
1. a high explosive, orig. consisting of nitroglycerin mixed with an absorbent substance, now with ammonium nitrate usu. replacing the nitroglycerin.
2. any person or thing having a spectacular or potentially explosive effect.
v.t. 3. to blow up, shatter, or destroy with dynamite.
4. to mine or charge with dynamite.
adj. 5. Informal. wonderful or exciting: a dynamite idea.
dy′na•mit`er, n.
dy`na•mit′ic (-ˈmɪt ɪk) adj.
dy`na•mit′i•cal•ly, adv.
dy·na·mite
(dī′nə-mīt′) A powerful explosive used in blasting and mining. It typically consists of nitroglycerin and a nitrate, combined with an absorbent material that makes it safer to handle.
dynamite
Past participle: dynamited
Gerund: dynamiting
| Imperative |
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| dynamite |
| dynamite |
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  dynamite - an explosive containing nitrate sensitized with nitroglycerin absorbed on wood pulpexplosive compound - a compound that is explosive gelignite, gelly - a type of dynamite in which the nitroglycerin is absorbed in a base of wood pulp and sodium or potassium nitrate glyceryl trinitrate, nitroglycerin, nitroglycerine, Nitrospan, Nitrostat, trinitroglycerin - a heavy yellow poisonous oily explosive liquid obtained by nitrating glycerol; used in making explosives and medically as a vasodilator (trade names Nitrospan and Nitrostat) |
| Verb | 1. | dynamite - blow up with dynamite; "The rock was dynamited" |
dynamite
verbTranslations
ديناميت، نَسّاف
dynamit
dynamit
dinamit
dÿnamít
ダイナマイト
dinamitas
dinamīts
dynamietdynamiteren
dynamit
dinamit
dynamite
n (lit) → Dynamit nt; (fig) → Zünd- or Sprengstoff m; she is dynamite → sie ist eine Wucht (inf); that story is pure dynamite → diese Geschichte ist der reinste Zündstoff
vt rocks, bridge → sprengen
dynamite
(ˈdainəmait) noun a type of powerful explosive.