v.
Pronunciation: ' de-t ə n- ˌ ā t, ' de-t ə - ˌ n ā t
Function: verb
Inflected Form: -nat · ed ; -nat · ing
Etymology: French détoner to explode, from Latin detonare to expend thunder, from de- + tonare to thunder ― more at THUNDER
Date: 1729
intransitive verb : to explode with sudden violence
transitive verb
1 : to cause to detonate < detonate a bomb> ― compare DEFLAGRATE
2 : to set off in a burst of activity : SPARK <programs that detonated controversies>
– det · o · nat · able \ - ˌ ā -t ə -b ə l, - ˌ n ā - \ adjective
– det · o · na · tive \ ' de-t ə n- ˌ ā -tiv, ' de-t ə - ˌ n ā - \ adjective