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REFERENCE

explode

v.
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ɪksˈpɫoʊd// UK //ɛksplˈəʊd// ex·plode Archaic General-service Slang Vulgar

v. to burst or blow up with a loud noise and a lot of force. You can also use it when someone suddenly gets very angry or when a number increases very quickly.

v. to burst or shatter violently and noisily as a result of rapid combustion, excessive internal pressure, or other sudden release of energy. Often used figuratively to describe a sudden outburst of emotion or a rapid statistical increase.


SIMPLE

The old boiler might explode if the pressure gets too high.

CONTEXTUAL

The population of the small coastal town began to explode after the new highway made commuting to the city much easier.

COMPLEX

The chemist warned that mixing these two volatile compounds without proper ventilation would cause the glass container to explode, potentially showering the laboratory with hazardous debris.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

First recorded around 1538, from the Latin verb explōdere (“drive out or off by clapping”). The meaning was originally theatrical, "to drive an actor off the stage by making noise," hence meaning to "to drive out" or "to reject". From ex- (“out”) + plaudere (“to clap; to applaud”). In English it used to mean to "drive out with violence and sudden noise" (from around 1660), and later meaning to "go off with a loud noise" (from around 1790). The sense of "bursting with destructive force" is first recorded around 1882.

Usage

The verb can be used intransitively ('the bomb exploded') or transitively in specific technical contexts, though the intransitive use is far more common.

Pitfall

The news made him to explodeThe news made him explodeWhen used with the causative verb 'make', the following verb 'explode' must be in the bare infinitive form without 'to'.

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