bomb
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a weapon designed to explode and cause damage or injury.
n.an explosive device used as a weapon, typically delivered by aircraft, artillery, or placement.
Simple“The old building was destroyed by a bomb during the war.”
In context“The disposal unit was called in to neutralise an unexploded bomb discovered by construction workers at the city centre site.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.something that is a complete failure, especially a movie or a play.
n.a project, production, or commercial venture that fails completely or is unpopular.
Simple“The new sci-fi movie was a total bomb at the box office.”
In context“Despite the massive marketing budget, the product launch was a complete bomb, failing to capture even a fraction of the projected market share.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a very large amount of money.
n.a significant sum of money; often used with the verb 'cost'.
Simple“That new sports car must have cost a bomb.”
In context“Renovating the Victorian estate cost a bomb, but the increase in property value eventually justified the initial investment.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
v.to drop bombs on a place or person.
v.to attack a target using explosive devices; to bombard.
Simple“The air force began to bomb the enemy's supply lines.”
In context“The strategic decision to bomb the industrial hubs was intended to cripple the opposition's manufacturing capabilities during the final months of the conflict.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to fail completely, especially in an exam or a performance.
v.to perform very poorly or fail dismally in a specific task or event.
Simple“I think I bombed my history exam because I didn't study enough.”
In context“The comedian bombed during the late-night set, as none of his jokes seemed to resonate with the tired audience.”
- 06 C1 Advanced
v.to move or travel at a very high speed.
v.to travel or move with great velocity.
Simple“The cyclists were bombing down the hill at sixty kilometres per hour.”
In context“We were bombing along the motorway when we suddenly realised we had missed the exit for the airport.”
- 07 C1 Advanced
adj.very good, cool, or impressive.
adj.excellent or highly impressive; used as a general term of approval.
Simple“That burger we had last night was totally bomb.”
In context“The production quality on their latest album is bomb, showing a level of maturity the band lacked in their earlier releases.”
Usage bomb the shit
From French bombe, from Italian bomba, from Latin bombus (“a booming sound”), from Ancient Greek βόμβος (bómbos, “booming, humming, buzzing”), imitative of the sound itself. Doublet of bombe. Compare boom.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.