From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbombbomb1 /bɒm $ bɑːm/ ●●● S3 W3 noun [countable] 1 weaponPMW a weapon made of material that will explode The bomb went off at 9.30 in the morning. Enemy planes dropped over 200 bombs during the raid. He was killed in a bomb explosion. → smoke bomb, stink bomb2 bad performance/event American English informal a play, film, event etc that is not successful This is just another one of Hollywood’s bland and boring bombs.3 → be the bomb4 → the bomb5 → cost a bomb6 → make a bomb7 → drop the c-bomb/f-bomb COLLOCATIONSverbsa bomb explodes/goes offForty people were injured when the bomb exploded.A 200 pound bomb went off in the car park.set off a bomb (also detonate a bomb formal) (=make a bomb explode)The area was cleared and the police safely detonated the bomb.drop a bomb (=from a plane)Government forces began dropping bombs on rebel positions. a bomb falls on somethingA bomb fell on the cathedral during the war.plant a bomb (=put a bomb somewhere)It is thought that right-wing extremists planted the bomb.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + bomba nuclear/hydrogen bombThe North Koreans were developing a nuclear bomb.an atom/atomic bombOppenheimer was the father of the atomic bomb. a neutron bomb (=that kills people but does not damage buildings much)a car bomb (=that makes a car explode)The car bomb killed 21 shoppers.a letter bomb (also a parcel bomb British English) (=sent in a letter or parcel)A second letter bomb was found among the unopened mail.a time bomb (=that is set to explode at a particular time)The terrorists’ time bomb was planned to cause the maximum carnage.a petrol bomb British English (=containing petrol)A petrol bomb was hurled at police as they chased the car.a nail bomb (=containing nails)a cluster bomb (=that sends out smaller bombs when it explodes)a dirty bomb (=that spreads radioactive material)a smart bomb (=that is guided to the right place)a terrorist bombThe aircraft was blown apart by a terrorist bomb.a suicide bomb (=the person carrying the bomb dies when it explodes)Each time there is a suicide bomb it is a new blow to peace.a homemade bombOfficers discovered several homemade bombs in the trunk of his car.an unexploded bombThe workmen found an unexploded bomb.bomb + NOUNa bomb blast/explosionThe restaurant was destroyed in a massive bomb blast.a bomb attackNo one has yet claimed responsibility for the bomb attack.a bomb threat (=when someone leaves a message saying there is a bomb somewhere)He delayed his flight home because of a bomb threat.a bomb scare (=when people think there might be a bomb somewhere)The building was evacuated after a bomb scare.bomb disposal (=the job of dealing with bombs that have not exploded)a bomb disposal expertbomb-making equipmentPolice found guns and bomb-making equipment in the house.THESAURUSbomb a weapon that explodesThe bomb exploded on a bus in Jerusalem during the city’s morning rush hour.Fifty-five people were injured in a car bomb attack in Baghdad.Morrow was convicted in 1998 of sending four letter bombs (=a small bomb hidden in a package and sent to someone in order to hurt or kill them) to government officials.People were worried that terrorists would try to detonate a dirty bomb (=a bomb that contains nuclear materials )in the city centre.explosives bombs or substances that can cause explosionsThey used explosives to blow the door off the front of the building.The car was packed with 1,000 lbs of high explosives (=powerful explosives).device a bomb – used especially in news reportsPolice found the device hidden in a suitcase.A bomb threat was received and the building was evacuated, but no device was found. IED a bomb that has been made using whatever materials are available, especially one used to blow up soldiers travelling through a place. IED is short for ‘improvised explosive device’Several soldiers were killed when an IED exploded as their convoy drove by.mine a type of bomb that is hidden just below the ground or under water, and that explodes when it is touchedThe fields are still full of landmines.The ship struck a mine and sank.grenade (also hand grenade) a small bomb that can be thrown by hand or fired from a special gunHe pulled the pin and threw a grenade toward the enemy’s position.
Examples from the Corpus
bomb• The brunette gift wrapped a bomb and handed it to grateful squaddies on point duty in Northern Ireland.• A bomb exploded near the country's busiest airport before dawn today.• Another bomb blast was reported on a railway line outside Cape Town.• Peggy ScottAdams's provocative ballad is hitting radio audiences like an emotional bomb.• a flea bomb• Morrow was convicted in 1998 of sending four letter bombs to government officials.• I heard new vocabulary: nuclear bomb, radioactive fallout, bomb shelter.• Conservative Central Office has ordered special security screening measures to prevent firearms or bombs being smuggled into the £3m pavilion.• The protesters were armed with rocks and petrol bombs.• Her shocked and sobbing face epitomised the terror that the bombs had brought to thousands of innocent city centre workers and shoppers.• They must have had their faces upturned when the bomb went off; perhaps they were anti-aircraft personnel.• The bomb exploded on a bus in Jerusalem during the city's morning rush hour.• Their bomb load was so great and dangerous that the slightest error would have been suicidal.• Billy Joe Tolliver threw a 44-yard bomb into the end zone.bombbomb2 ●●● W3 verb 1 [transitive]PM to attack a place by leaving a bomb there, or by dropping bombs on it from a plane The town was heavily bombed in World War II. Government aircraft have been bombing civilian areas. → carpet-bomb, dive-bomb2 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]TTCMOVE/CHANGE POSITION British English informal to move or drive very quickly Suddenly a police car came bombing down the high street.3 [intransitive, transitive]FAIL American English informal to fail a test very badly I bombed my midterm.4 [intransitive] American EnglishFAIL if a play, film, event etc bombs, it is not successful His latest play bombed on Broadway. → be bombed out→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
bomb• In 1986 they made "Shanghai Surprise, " which bombed.• NATO warplanes bombed a dozen towns Thursday.• Lawrence Evert, shot down 33 years ago as he tried to bomb a nearby railroad bridge.• Her laundry had been bombed, and the hospital was full of casualties, as well as the maternity block.• Although the show was a hit in London it bombed on Broadway.• I bombed on the quiz he gave us.• "How'd it go?" "I bombed on the written section, but I think I did okay on the multiple choice part."• She has had few offers of work since her last movie bombed so spectacularly.• I bombed the English test yesterday.• I just bombed the written section of the test.• They had made two attempts to bomb United States military trains in Lower Saxony in 1987 and 1988.From Longman Business Dictionarybombbomb1 /bɒmbɑːm/ noun1cost a bomb British English informal to cost a lot of moneya new office development that must have cost a bomb2make a bomb British English informal to make a lot of moneyShe made a bomb coaching movie stars in Palm Springs.bombbomb2 verb [intransitive] American English informal if a product or an activity bombs, it fails badlyHis original computer design bombed because it lacked power and software applications. → see also carpet bomb→ See Verb tableOrigin bomb1 (1600-1700) French bombe, from Italian bomba, probably from Latin bombus “deep sound”, from Greek bombos, from the sound 