deflagrate
/ˈdɛfləɡreɪt
/verb Chemistry, dated
Burn or cause to burn away with a sudden flame and rapid, sharp combustion: [with object]: the current will deflagrate some of the particles...
- If the fuel deflagrates but does not detonate, victims will be severely burned and will probably also inhale the burning fuel.
- The exercise was designed around techniques for dealing with low-order explosives by gaining entrance to the munition case and then deflagrating the contents.
Derivatives
deflagrator
/ noun ...- Robert Hare invented the deflagrator for the production of high levels of electric current.
- Among his inventions were the oxyhydrogen blowpipe, an electric furnace, and a deflagrator, and his research included work on salts.
- The fulgurator was a sort of auto-propulsive engine, of peculiar construction, charged with an explosive composed of new substances and which only produced its effect under the action of a deflagrator that was also new.
Origin
Early 18th century: from Latin deflagrat- 'burnt up', from the verb deflagrare, from de- 'away, thoroughly' + flagrare 'to burn'.