/ ɪkˈspləʊd; NAmE ɪkˈsploʊd/ verb
BURST VIOLENTLY
1.
to burst or make sth burst loudly and violently, causing damage
SYN blow up :
[ v ]
Bombs were exploding all around the city.
[ vn ]
There was a huge bang as if someone had exploded a rocket outside.
Bomb disposal experts exploded the device under controlled conditions.
—compare implode
GET ANGRY / DANGEROUS
2.
explode (into / with sth) ( of a person or situation ) to suddenly become very angry or dangerous :
[ v ]
Suddenly Charles exploded with rage.
The protest exploded into a riot.
[ v speech ]
'Of course there's something wrong!' Jem exploded.
EXPRESS EMOTION
3.
[ v ] explode (into / with sth) to suddenly express an emotion :
We all exploded into wild laughter.
MOVE SUDDENLY
4.
[ v ] explode (into sth) to suddenly and quickly do sth; to move suddenly with a lot of force :
After ten minutes the game exploded into life.
MAKE LOUD NOISE
5.
[ v ] to make a sudden very loud noise :
Thunder exploded overhead.
INCREASE QUICKLY
6.
[ v ] to increase suddenly and very quickly in number :
the exploding world population
SHOW STH IS NOT TRUE
7.
[ vn ] to show that sth is not true, especially sth that people believe :
At last, a women's magazine to explode the myth that thin equals beautiful.
••
SYNONYMS
explode
blow up ♦ go off ♦ burst ♦ erupt ♦ rupture ♦ implode
These are all words that can be used when sth bursts apart violently, causing damage or injury.
explode
to burst loudly and violently, causing damage; to make sth burst in this way:
The jet smashed into a hillside and exploded.
•
The bomb was exploded under controlled conditions.
blow (sth) up
to be destroyed by an explosion; to destroy sth by an explosion:
A police officer was killed when his car blew up.
go off
(of a bomb) to explode; (of a gun) to be fired:
The bomb went off in a crowded street.
NOTE
When used about guns, the choice of go off (not 'be fired') can suggest that the gun was fired by accident.
burst
to break open or apart, expecially because of pressure from inside; to make sth break in this way:
That balloon's going to burst.
erupt
(of a volcano) to throw out burning rocks and smoke; (of burning rocks and smoke) to be thrown out of a volcano.
rupture
( formal or medical ) to burst or break apart a pipe, container or organ inside the body; to be burst or broken apart:
A pipe ruptured, leaking water all over the house.
implode
to burst or explode inwards:
The windows on both sides of the room had imploded.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
A bomb exploded / blew up / went off / burst.
The car / plane / vehicle exploded / blew up.
A firework / rocket exploded / went off.
A volcano erupted.
A pipe / tank burst / ruptured.
a burst / ruptured appendix / artery
••
WORD FAMILY
explode verb
explosion noun
explosive adjective noun
unexploded adjective
••
WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (in the sense reject scornfully ): from Latin explodere drive out by clapping, hiss off the stage, from ex- out + plaudere to clap. Sense 7 is derived from the original sense of the word. Sense 1 (late 18th cent.) evolved via an old sense expel with violence and sudden noise , perhaps influenced by obsolete displode burst with a noise .