detonate

(det'n āt′)

intransitive verb detonated, detonating

to explode violently and noisily

Origin: < L detonatus, pp. of detonare, to thunder < de-, intens. + tonare, to thunder

transitive verb

to cause (a bomb, dynamite, etc.) to explode

Related Forms:

See detonate in American Heritage Dictionary 4

intr. & tr.v. det·o·nat·ed, det·o·nat·ing, det·o·nates
To explode or cause to explode.

Origin:

Origin: Latin dētonāre, dētonāt-, to thunder down

Origin: : dē-, de-

Origin: + tonāre, to thunder; see (s)tenə- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • detˈo·natˌa·ble adjective

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