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Detonate

//ˈdɛtəneɪt// verb

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To explode, blow up intransitive
  2. 2
    burst and release energy as through a violent chemical or physical reaction wordnet
  3. 3
    To explode, blow up; To combust or decompose supersonically via shock compression. especially, intransitive
  4. 4
    cause to burst with a violent release of energy wordnet
  5. 5
    To cause to explode. transitive

    "The engineers detonated the dynamite and watched the old building collapse."

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  1. 6
    To express sudden anger. figuratively, intransitive

    "As Oscar turned to greet Yvonne, she could see every muscle in his body contract in anger. Then he detonated. “What the hell are you doing here without an appointment? […]"

Etymology

First attested in 1729; either borrowed from French détoner or directly from Latin dētonātus, perfect passive participle of dētonō (“to thunder down (strongly); (figuratively, of a person) to thunder, speak threateningly, to rage; to stop thundering”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dē- (“off, from”) + tonō (“to thunder”)). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tenh₂-. The current interlingual meaning seems to be a new formation in postclassical times (to thunder → make a large noise → explode), compare explode.

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