Trends oftorpedo
View usage for:
torpedo
(tɔːʳpiːdoʊ)
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense torpedoes, present participle torpedoing, past tense, past participle torpedoed
1. countable noun
A torpedo is bomb that is shaped like a tube and that travels under water.
2. verb [usually passive]
If a ship is torpedoed, it is hit, and usually sunk, by a torpedo or torpedoes.
More than a thousand people died when the Lusitania was torpedoed. [be VERB-ed]
3. verb
If someone torpedoes negotiations or plans, they deliberately prevent them from being completed or from being successful.
[informal] These attacks are seen as an effort to torpedo the talks. [VERB noun]
torpedo in British English
(tɔːˈpiːdəʊ)
nounWord forms: plural -does
1.
a cylindrical self-propelled weapon carrying explosives that is launched from aircraft, ships, or submarines and follows an underwater path to hit its target
2. obsolete
a submarine mine
3. US and Canadian
a firework containing gravel and a percussion cap that explodes when dashed against a hard surface
4. US and Canadian
a detonator placed on a railway line as a danger signal
5.
any of various electric rays of the genus Torpedo
verbWord forms: -does, -doing or -doed (transitive)
6.
to hit (a ship, etc) with one or a number of torpedoes
7.
to render ineffective; destroy or wreck
to torpedo the administration's plan
Derived forms
torpedo-like (torˈpedo-ˌlike) adjective
Word origin
C16: from Latin: crampfish (whose electric discharges can cause numbness), from torpēre to be inactive; see torpidtorpedo in American English
(tɔrˈpidoʊ)
nounWord forms: plural torˈpedoes
1.
electric ray
2. US
a large, cigar-shaped, self-propelled underwater projectile for launching against enemy ships from a submarine, airplane, etc.: it is detonated by contact, sound, etc.
3.
a metal case containing explosives, esp. one used as an underwater mine
4.
a small fireworks device consisting of a percussion cap and gravel wrapped in tissue paper, which explodes with a loud noise when thrown against a hard surface
5. US
an explosive cartridge or a flare, placed on a railroad track and detonated by a train wheel as a signal to the crew
6. US
an explosive cartridge lowered into oil wells, where it is detonated to clear the bore or break through into the oil pocket
7. US, Slang
a gangster or gunman hired as a bodyguard, assassin, etc.
verb transitiveWord forms: torˈpedoed or torˈpedoing
8.
to attack, damage, or destroy with or as with a torpedo
Word origin
L, numbness, crampfish < torpere, to be stiff: see torpidImage oftorpedo
© PANYA KUANUN, shutterstock
Examples of 'torpedo' in a sentencetorpedo
In other languagestorpedo
British English: torpedo NOUN
A torpedo is bomb that is shaped like a tube and that travels under water.
- American English: torpedo
- Brazilian Portuguese: torpedo
- Chinese: 鱼雷
- European Spanish: torpedo
- French: torpille
- German: Torpedo
- Italian: siluro
- Japanese: 水雷
- Korean: 어뢰
- European Portuguese: torpedo
- Latin American Spanish: torpedo
British English: torpedo VERB
If a ship is torpedoed, it is hit, and usually sunk, by a torpedo or torpedoes.
More than a thousand people died when the ship was torpedoed.
- American English: torpedo
- Brazilian Portuguese: torpedear
- Chinese: 用鱼雷袭击
- European Spanish: torpedear
- French: torpiller
- German: torpedieren
- Italian: silurare
- Japanese: 水雷で攻撃する
- Korean: 어뢰로 공격하다
- European Portuguese: torpedear
- Latin American Spanish: torpedear
All related terms of 'torpedo'
Chinese translation of 'torpedo'
torpedo
(tɔːˈpiːdəu)
Word forms:pl torpedoes
n (c)
-
鱼(魚)雷
(yúléi) (个(個), gè)