explode

Word Origin & History

1530s, "to reject with scorn," from Latin explodere "drive out or off by clapping, hiss off, hoot off," originally theatrical, "to drive an actor off the stage by making noise," hence "drive out, reject" (a sense surviving in an exploded theory), from ex- "out" (see ex-) + plaudere "to clap the hands, applaud," of uncertain origin. Athenian audiences were highly demonstrative. clapping and shouting approval, stamping, hissing, and hooting for disapproval. The Romans seem to have done likewise.

English used it to mean "drive out with violence and sudden noise" (1650s), later, "go off with a loud noise" (American English, 1790); sense of "to burst with destructive force" is first recorded 1882; of population, 1959. Related: Exploded;

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Example Sentences for explode

"I ought to find the connection and explode it," repeated Caradoc doggedly.

Hurriedly he tried a half dozen more cartridges but they refused to explode.

At that very moment the Arabella seemed to explode as she swept by.

The flame is so completely hollow that even it cannot explode the powder.

That they could not explode of themselves in that way seems certain.

"La ...

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Synonyms for explode

verb blow up

explode

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Synonyms for explode

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