TNT
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
Stands for Trinitrotoluene. A powerful chemical used for making bombs and for blasting rocks in construction.
Abbreviation for Trinitrotoluene. A stable, solid explosive compound used in military and industrial applications due to its relative safety during handling.
Simple“The workers used TNT to clear the large rocks from the path of the new road.”
In context“The demolition crew calculated the exact amount of TNT required to bring down the derelict cooling tower without damaging adjacent structures.”
UsageUsually treated as an uncountable noun when referring to the substance itself.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
A general word people use for dynamite or anything that causes a big explosion.
A genericized or informal reference to dynamite or other high-velocity explosives.
Simple“In the old cartoons, the character always carries a box marked TNT.”
In context“While technically distinct from dynamite, the term TNT is frequently used in popular media as a catch-all for any portable explosive device.”
Teacher's tipLearners should note that while people use this informally for any explosive, in science and engineering, TNT and dynamite are different chemicals.
Synonymsexplosivesblasting caps
All senses by acronymy or initialism formation or by metonymic relation thereto. The third sense is an initialism of Tagalog tago nang tago (literally “hide and hide”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.