IED /ˌaɪ iː ˈdiː/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
(improvised explosive device) a bomb that has been made using whatever materials are available. IEDs are used by ↑ terrorist s or people who are opposed to their government rather than by official military forces.
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THESAURUS
▪ bomb a weapon that explodes:
The bomb exploded on a bus in Jerusalem during the city’s morning rush hour.
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Fifty-five people were injured in a car bomb attack in Baghdad.
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Morrow was convicted in 1998 of sending four letter bombs (=a small bomb hidden in a package and sent to someone in order to hurt or kill them) to government officials.
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People were worried that terrorists would try to detonate a dirty bomb (=a bomb that contains nuclear materials ) in the city centre.
▪ explosives bombs or substances that can cause explosions:
They used explosives to blow the door off the front of the building.
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The car was packed with 1,000 lbs of high explosives (=powerful explosives) .
▪ device a bomb – used especially in news reports:
Police found the device hidden in a suitcase.
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A bomb threat was received and the building was evacuated, but no device was found.
▪ IED a bomb that has been made using whatever materials are available, especially one used to blow up soldiers travelling through a place. IED is short for ‘improvised explosive device’:
Several soldiers were killed when an IED exploded as their convoy drove by.
▪ mine a type of bomb that is hidden just below the ground or under water, and that explodes when it is touched:
The fields are still full of landmines.
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The ship struck a mine and sank.
▪ grenade ( also hand grenade ) a small bomb that can be thrown by hand or fired from a special gun:
He pulled the pin and threw a grenade toward the enemy’s position.