Definition of high explosive in US English:
high explosive
nounˈˌhī ikˈsplōsivˈˌhaɪ ɪkˈsploʊsɪv
A chemical explosive that is rapid and destructive, used in shells and bombs.
a future stealthy cruise missile could carry half a ton of high explosives
mass noun officers recovered enough high explosive for about six small bombs
Example sentencesExamples
- The missile is armed with a 3kg high explosive warhead loaded with tungsten ball projectiles.
- He points out that, when it comes to building a nuclear bomb, obtaining high explosives is only a small part of a very complicated procedure.
- Now, the governor also said that it was not one car bomb that went off on Friday, but rather two car bombs, containing a total of 700 kilograms of high explosives.
- Modern high explosives are developments of the last 150 years, which began with the discovery of nitroglycerine and the invention of nitrocellulose, or gun cotton, in the 1840s.
- The builders of these bombs wouldn't have much trouble getting their hands on high explosives - dynamite is readily available, and TNT isn't too hard to come by.
- This new material was dramatically different in nature and concept of use from the conventional high explosives used in fission weapons.