bomb
B2Neutral to informal (in extended meanings), formal in military/technical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
An explosive weapon designed to cause destruction.
A complete failure; something that is very successful (especially in entertainment); a long forward pass or shot in sports; a great amount of money.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary, literal meaning is serious and violent. In informal contexts, especially in US English, it can mean a great success (e.g., 'The movie was a bomb'). In UK English, 'bomb' more commonly means a failure in informal contexts, creating a potential antonymic clash.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Informal meaning: In US English, 'to bomb' (verb) means to fail terribly, while 'a bomb' (noun) can mean a huge success. In UK English, both the noun and verb in informal contexts primarily mean a failure.
Connotations
UK: Strong association with failure in informal use. US: Potential positive connotation for the noun ('a smash hit'), but verb is negative ('to bomb').
Frequency
The positive 'success' meaning for the noun is far more common in US English. The 'failure' meaning for noun/verb is common in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Verb] bomb + [place/person] (transitive)[Verb] bomb + [prep] + [place] (The plane bombed over the city.)[Noun] bomb + of + [type] (a bomb of considerable size)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “cost a bomb (UK: be very expensive)”
- “go like a bomb (UK: move/perform very fast or successfully)”
- “drop a bombshell (announce shocking news)”
- “time bomb (a situation likely to cause sudden disaster)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The new product launch was a complete bomb." (US/UK: failure)
Academic
The treaty aimed to limit the proliferation of nuclear bombs.
Everyday
"That comedy show last night was a real bomb." (Context determines meaning: US likely success, UK likely failure.)
Technical
The EOD team used a robotic unit to approach the suspected pipe bomb.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The squadron was ordered to bomb the military targets.
- His latest stand-up routine absolutely bombed at the Edinburgh Fringe.
American English
- The team bombed the final exam.
- She bombed down the ski slope at incredible speed.
adverb
British English
- Not commonly used as a pure adverb. Adverbial phrase: 'He ran like a bomb.'
American English
- Not commonly used as a pure adverb. Adverbial phrase: 'The stock went bomb, losing half its value.' (Very informal/slang)
adjective
British English
- Bomb disposal experts arrived at the scene. (Attributive noun use)
- The bomb threat caused an evacuation.
American English
- He made a bomb thrower pass for a touchdown. (Attributive noun use)
- They lived in a bomb-proof bunker.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Do not touch that bag. It could be a bomb.
- The bomb was very dangerous.
- Police found a bomb in the old car.
- The film bombed at the box office last weekend.
- The government denied planting the bomb that destroyed the bridge.
- His joke bombed, and the room fell into an awkward silence.
- The investigative report dropped a bombshell, implicating several senior officials.
- Despite massive hype, the artist's comeback album bombed critically and commercially.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember BOMB: Bang! Only Massive Blast.
Conceptual Metaphor
FAILURE IS AN EXPLOSIVE EVENT ("The project bombed."); SUCCESS IS AN EXPLOSIVE EVENT (US: "The play is a bomb!"); SHOCKING NEWS IS A BOMB ("dropped a bombshell").
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'bomba' (boomba) for 'pump' in sports/fitness.
- The slang 'bomb' for 'great' is not directly equivalent to any single Russian word.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'bome'.
- Using the positive US meaning ('a hit') in a UK context where it will be misunderstood as a failure.
- Incorrect preposition: 'The terrorists bombed on the building' (correct: 'bombed the building').
Practice
Quiz
In American English, what does 'The new Marvel movie is a bomb!' typically mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a case of enantiosemy. In US slang, 'the bomb' (noun) arose in the 1960s meaning 'something excellent,' likely from the impact metaphor. The verb 'to bomb' meaning 'to fail' came later, creating the contradictory meanings.
It depends on context. Using it to mean 'failure' or 'success' in casual conversation is generally fine. However, be extremely cautious using it in contexts related to real-world violence, travel, or security, as it can cause alarm or be deeply insensitive.
'Bomb' is primarily a noun for the device or a verb meaning 'to attack with a bomb.' 'Explode' is a verb describing the action of bursting violently. A bomb explodes. You can bomb a city (drop bombs on it), causing buildings to explode.
Context and variety are key. Look at the grammar: 'It was THE bomb' (US, positive). 'It bombed' (verb, negative in both). 'It was a bomb' is ambiguous: UK=bad, US=good. Listen for articles and surrounding words.