DEVICE NOUN (WAR AND WEAPONRY)

Euphemistically, a bomb. Etymology: Formed by shortening the earlier euphemism explosive device. History and Usage: The word was used as long ago as the late fifties in nuclear device, a euphemism for atom bomb, but this term was rarely shortened to device alone. In the age of international terrorism, the euphemism was taken up in police jargon, at first often in the longer form explosive device or incendiary device, and widely used in press releases describing terrorist attacks in which explosives were used. During the course of the eighties device seems to have become an established synonym for bomb in news reports. After sprinkling them with an unidentified liquid, an explosive charge was put on top of the human pile. The device detonated as planned. Washington Post 3 Jan. 1981, section A, p. 1 February 24: A device pushed through a letter box wrecked an army careers office in Halifax, West Yorkshire. Guardian 11 June 1990, p. 2