What does "petard" mean?
A small, hat-shaped explosive device, used to breach a door or wall.
Petard
/pɪˈtɑːd/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A small, hat-shaped explosive device, used to breach a door or wall.
- Grammar: petard is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: backfire, bomb, bombshell, carcass.
- Useful contrasts: advantage, success.
- Usage evidence: I got hoisted with my own petard.
How to use "petard"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "petard" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "petard" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "petard" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "petard" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "petard" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "backfire" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "petard", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A small, hat-shaped explosive device, used to breach a door or wall. historical
"For tis the ſport to haue the enginer / Hoiſt with his ovvne petar, an't ſhall goe hard / But I vvill delue one yard belovve their mines, / And blovve them at the Moone: […]"
- 2 an explosive device used to break down a gate or wall wordnet
- 3 Anything potentially explosive, in a non-literal sense.
- 4 A loud firecracker. rare
Verb
- 1 To attack or blow a hole in (something) with a petard. archaic
"The Souldier, if he but go to beſiege a cottage, to ſcale a Caſtle, to robbe a Church, to Pettard [translating petarder] a gate, to force a religious houſe, or any villenous act, before he attempt-it, praieth to God for his aſſiſtance, though his intents and hopes be full-fraught with crueltie, murther, couetiſe, luxurie, ſacriledge and all iniquitie."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
"I got hoisted with my own petard."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "petard"?
Common synonyms include: backfire, bomb, bombshell, carcass, charge, explosive device.
How do you use "petard" in a sentence?
I got hoisted with my own petard.
How do you pronounce "petard"?
Pronounced /pɪˈtɑːd/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle French petard; see Modern French pétard (“firecracker”).
Etymology 2
From Middle French petarder (Modern French pétarder), from petard + -er (suffix forming verbs).