petard

[ pi-tahrd ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

an explosive device formerly used in warfare to blow in a door or gate, form a breach in a wall, etc.
a kind of firecracker.
(initial capital letter) Also called Flying Dustbin. a British spigot mortar of World War II that fired a 40-pound (18-kilogram) finned bomb, designed to destroy pillboxes and other concrete obstacles.

petard

/ pɪˈtɑːd /

noun

(formerly) a device containing explosives used to breach a wall, doors, etc
hoist with one's own petard
hoist with one's own petard being the victim of one's own schemes
a type of explosive firework

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Word History and Origins

Origin of petard¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French, equivalent to pet(er) “to break wind” (derivative of pet, from Latin pēditum “a breaking wind,” originally neuter of past participle of pēdere “to break wind”) + -ard noun suffix; -ard

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Word History and Origins

Origin of petard¹

C16: from French: firework, from péter to break wind, from Latin pēdere

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

hoist by / with one's own petard, hurt, ruined, or destroyed by the very device or plot one had intended for another.

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Example Sentences

Oh no, like Shakespeare would say, I was hoist with my own petard.

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April 18, 2024petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

pétanque petasus

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