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explosion - 8 dictionary results

ex⋅plo⋅sion

  [ik-sploh-zhuhn]
Use explosion in a Sentence
–noun
1. an act or instance of exploding; a violent expansion or bursting with noise, as of gunpowder or a boiler (opposed to implosion ).
2. the noise itself: The loud explosion woke them.
3. a violent outburst, as of laughter or anger.
4. a sudden, rapid, or great increase: a population explosion.
5. the burning of the mixture of fuel and air in an internal-combustion engine.
6. Phonetics. plosion.
Origin:
1615–25; < L explōsiōn- (s. of explōsiō), equiv. to explōs(us) driven off by clapping (ptp. of explōdere to explode ) + -iōn- -ion

plo⋅sion

  [ploh-zhuhn]
–noun Phonetics.
the forced release of the occlusive phase of a plosive, whether voiceless or voiced, either audible due to frication or inaudible due to a contiguous following consonant. Also called explosion. Compare implosion (def. 2).
Origin:
1915–20; shortened form of explosion
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To explosion
ex·plo·sion   (ĭk-splō'zhən)   
n.  
    1. A release of mechanical, chemical, or nuclear energy in a sudden and often violent manner with the generation of high temperature and usually with the release of gases.
    2. A violent bursting as a result of internal pressure.
    3. The loud, sharp sound made as a result of either of these actions.
  2. A sudden, often vehement outburst: an explosion of rage.
  3. A sudden, great increase: a population explosion; the explosion of illegal drug use.
  4. Linguistics See plosion.

[Latin explōsiō, explōsiōn-, a driving off, from explōsus, past participle of explōdere, to drive out by clapping; see explode.]
plo·sion   (plō'zhən)   
n.  
  1. The articulation of a plosive sound.
  2. The sudden release of occluded air characteristically occurring in the articulation of certain stop consonants. Also called explosion.

[From explosion.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Explosion

Ex*plo"sion\, n. [L. explosio a driving off by clapping: cf. F. explosion explosion. See Explode.]

1. The act of exploding; detonation; a chemical action which causes the sudden formation of a great volume of expanded gas; as, the explosion of gunpowder, of fire damp,etc.

2. A bursting with violence and loud noise, because of internal pressure; as, the explosion of a gun, a bomb, a steam boiler, etc.

3. A violent outburst of feeling, manifested by excited language, action, etc.; as, an explosion of wrath.

A formidable explosion of high-church fanaticism. --Macaulay.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : explosion
Spanish: explosión,
German: die Explosion,
Japanese: 爆発 (音)
More Translations »

explosion 
1623, from Fr. explosion, from L. explosionem (nom. explosio), from explodere "drive out by clapping" (see explode for origin and sense evolution). Sense of "rapid increase or development" is first attested 1953. Explosive (n.) first attested 1874.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: ex·plo·sion
Pronunciation: ik-'splO-zh&n
Function: noun
: the act or an instance of exploding
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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explosion   (ĭk-splō'zhən)  Pronunciation Key 
A violent blowing apart or bursting caused by energy released from a very fast chemical reaction, a nuclear reaction, or the escape of gases under pressure.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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