DYNAMITE


Meaning of DYNAMITE in English

I. ˈdīnəˌmīt, usu -īd.+V noun

( -s )

Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary dynam- + -ite; originally formed as Swedish dynamit

1. : a solid blasting explosive used especially in mining, quarrying, and engineering that contains nitroglycerin incorporated with a base which increases the safety of handling: as

a. : an explosive in which the base (as kieselguhr) is inert

b. : an explosive in which the base is active and consists essentially of a carbonaceous combustible material (as wood pulp) and an oxidizing material (as sodium nitrate) — called also straight dynamite

c. : a strong explosive similar to a straight dynamite but containing ammonium nitrate in place of part of the nitroglycerin and often part of the oxidizing material — called also ammonia dynamite

d. : gelatin dynamite

2. : a blasting explosive used similarly to dynamite but containing an essential constituent (as nitrostarch) other than nitroglycerin

3. : one that is characterized by notable vitality, power, or effectiveness

box-office dynamite — Steve McNeil

not only is he tough and ruthless; he is also dynamite with the ladies — Saturday Review

also : something that has great potential (as for causing strife or trouble)

devaluation is dynamite and politicians don't like its sound — M.A.Heilperin

this letter is dynamite — Erle Stanley Gardner

II. transitive verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

1. : to charge with dynamite

2. : to blow up or shatter with dynamite

3. : to cause the utter failure or destruction of

it is easy to dynamite an industrial system — M.R.Cohen

the board has dynamited its own findings in two particulars — B.H.Kizer

III. adjective

Etymology: dynamite , noun

: terrific : wonderful

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.