hand grenade
C1Technical (military), informal (metaphorical).
Definition
Meaning
A small, hand-thrown explosive weapon consisting of a metal or plastic casing filled with explosive material, designed to detonate after a short delay or upon impact.
A metaphorical term for a situation, comment, or piece of information that is highly disruptive, controversial, or likely to cause sudden and widespread conflict.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily refers to the weapon. The metaphorical use implies deliberate provocation and significant, explosive consequences.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical difference. Metaphorical use is equally common in both varieties.
Connotations
Technical term in military contexts; carries strong negative connotations of violence and sudden danger in metaphorical use.
Frequency
Low frequency in general discourse, high specificity in military/security contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] threw a hand grenade into [Location].The comment was a political hand grenade.He pulled the pin and lobbed the hand grenade.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- ““Like a hand grenade in a phone booth” (US: describing something causing chaos in a confined space).”
- ““To throw a hand grenade into the conversation” (to introduce a highly controversial topic).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Used metaphorically: 'The CEO's resignation letter was a hand grenade tossed into the boardroom.'
Academic
Rare outside military history or political science discussing conflict.
Everyday
Very rare in literal sense. Metaphorical use in news/political commentary.
Technical
Standard in military, defence, and security fields.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The soldier carefully primed the hand grenade before the exercise.
- His revelation in the meeting was a proper hand grenade.
American English
- The recruit learned how to safely throw a hand grenade on the range.
- She dropped a hand grenade of truth into the debate.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The museum had an old hand grenade behind glass.
- In films, soldiers often pull the pin from a hand grenade.
- Security protocols for finding a live hand grenade are extremely strict.
- The journalist's article acted as a hand grenade, shattering the fragile truce.
- The improvised hand grenade, constructed from a tin can and commercial explosive, was defused by the bomb squad.
- By leaking those documents, he effectively rolled a hand grenade into the heart of the administration.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
HAND GRENADE: You hold it in your HAND, and it makes a GRAND explosion that FADEs into smoke and shock.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTROVERSIAL ACTIONS ARE EXPLOSIVES / DISRUPTION IS AN EXPLOSION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with "граната" which can also mean 'pomegranate'. Context is critical.
- The compound 'hand grenade' is fixed; 'ручная граната' is a direct calque but the English term is not commonly separated.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'grenade' alone when specifically meaning the hand-thrown type.
- Using 'bomb' as a direct synonym (a bomb is generally larger and not designed to be thrown by hand).
- Incorrect plural: 'hand grenades' (correct), not 'hand grenade' for plural.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most defining feature of a 'hand grenade' in its literal sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's not redundant. While most common grenades are hand-thrown, the term distinguishes it from rifle grenades (launched from a rifle) or grenade launchers. 'Hand grenade' specifies the delivery method.
Very rarely and informally, usually in journalistic or political contexts meaning 'to disrupt severely'. e.g., 'He hand-grenaded the negotiations.' This is non-standard and metaphorical.
A hand grenade is a specific type of bomb designed to be thrown by hand, with a short fuse or impact detonation. 'Bomb' is a much broader category including aerial bombs, car bombs, IEDs, etc., which are typically larger and not thrown.
It effectively conjures an image of a small object causing sudden, widespread, and uncontrollable damage in a confined space, perfectly describing a disruptive comment or action in a stable social or political setting.