adj driving or bursting out with violence and noise; causing explosion; as, the explosive force of gunpowder.
2. explosive ·noun an explosive agent; a compound or mixture susceptible of a rapid chemical reaction, as gunpowder, or nitro-glycerine.
3. explosive ·noun a sound produced by an explosive impulse of the breath; (phonetics) one of consonants p, b, t, d, k, g, which are sounded with a sort of explosive power of voice. [see guide to pronunciation, ? 155-7, 184.].