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bomb (bŏm)
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n.
1.
a. An explosive weapon detonated by impact, proximity to an object, a timing mechanism, or other means.
b. An atomic or nuclear bomb. Used with the.
2. Any of various weapons detonated to release destructive material, such as smoke or gas.
3.
a. A container capable of withstanding high internal pressure.
b. A vessel for storing compressed gas.
c. A portable, manually operated container that ejects a spray, foam, or gas under pressure.
4. Football A long forward pass.
5. Geology A lump of lava that has been violently ejected from a volcano and has solidified while in the air.
6. Slang A dismal failure; a fiasco.
7. Slang An old car.
8. Slang One that is excellent or superior. Used with the.
9. Chiefly British Slang
a. A large amount of money.
b. A great success.
v. bombed, bomb·ing, bombs
v.tr.
To attack, damage, or destroy with or as if with bombs.
v.intr.
1. To drop a bomb or bombs.
2. Slang To fail miserably: The play bombed.
3. Slang To paint a graffito.
[French bombe, from Italian bomba, probably from Latin bombus, a booming sound, from Greek bombos, of imitative origin.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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