a weapon that explodes, causing destruction, fire, or loud noise
The police safely removed the bomb from the crowded subway station.
During the war, airplanes dropped a huge bomb near the bridge.
to attack a place or people by dropping bombs
The air force bombed the enemy supply lines overnight.
Planes threatened to bomb the city if talks failed.
a film, show, event, or product that fails badly and attracts little success or audience
The expensive movie turned out to be a total bomb at the box office.
His comedy routine was such a bomb that nobody laughed.
a very large amount of money, often referring to something that is very expensive
That sports car must have cost a bomb.
They sold the old painting for a bomb at auction.
in slang, something or someone that is extremely good, impressive, or enjoyable, often used with the article “the”
Her homemade cookies are the bomb.
This new phone is the bomb.
to perform or do very badly, especially in a test, performance, or business
I totally bombed the math test.
The singer feared she would bomb on stage.
to move very fast, often in a reckless or carefree way
We bombed down the mountain on our bikes.
The kids love to bomb around the playground after school.
actively dropping or exploding bombs on a place or target
Fighter jets were bombing the enemy supply routes along the river.
The commander ordered nonstop bombing to cut off reinforcements.
✦ Present participle of the verb “bomb,” which comes from the French “bombe,” ultimately from Latin “bombus,” meaning a deep, booming sound.
performing very badly or failing completely, especially in entertainment or business
The comedian realized his new joke was bombing when no one laughed.
Despite the star cast, the expensive movie is bombing at the box office.
✦ Extension of the verb “bomb” meaning “to explode,” transferred figuratively in the mid-20th century to describe a performance that collapses like a failed explosive.
an attack that uses one or more bombs
The city was eerily quiet the morning after the bombing.
Investigators gathered clues at the site of the bombing near the train station.
✦ Formed from the verb “bomb” + the noun-forming suffix “-ing”, first recorded in the late 19th century to describe attacks using explosive devices.
