explode

My profession consists of bringing truths nearer to the point where they explode.
--Hans Werner Henze

Explode: (v.) From the Latin from ex-, meaning "out" and plaudere "to clap", "applaud," explodere: hence, explode originally meant "to drive out by clapping,". This was originally used in the context of the theater, "to drive an actor off the stage by clapping". It eventually came to mean "to drive out with violence and sudden noise", and later, in America, it came to be used to mean "to go off with a loud noise" (1790). The sense of "to burst with destructive force" is first recorded in written language in 1882.

1. To expand or burst apart suddenly and dramatically, usually throwing pieces everywhere. Often accompanied by loud noise and flame. "The car exploded into flame."

2. To expand rapidly enough to cause structural damage; to burst. "The balloon exploded"

3. To grow rapidly. "population explosion"

4. To loose your temper. "When he ate the last donut, I just exploded!"

5. To destroy.

The dust of exploded beliefs may make a fine sunset
--Geoffrey Madan

The process of rapid oxidation, along with expansion, friction, and heat. A gaseous ball of vapors and gas will quickly burn, and expand faster than the speed of sound, hence the loud bang created by the air pressure collapsing back into the vortex created by the expansion. All mixed together this makes for a cool looking thing that can hurt people, destroy stuff, and just be cool.

Ex*plode" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Exploded; p. pr. & vb. n. Exploding.] [L. explodere, explosum, to drive out, drive out a player by clapping; ex out+plaudere, plodere, to clap, strike, applaud: cf. OF. exploder. See Plausible.]

1.

To become suddenly expanded into a great volume of gas or vapor; to burst violently into flame; as gunpowder explodes.

2.

To burst with force and a loud report; to detonate, as a shell filled with powder or the like material, or as a boiler from too great pressure of steam.

3.

To burst forth with sudden violence and noise; as, at this, his wrath exploded.

© Webster 1913.

Ex*plode", v. t.

1.

To drive from the stage by noisy expressions of disapprobation; to hoot off; to drive away or reject noisily; as, to explode a play.

Him old and young Exploded, and seized with violent hands. Milton.

2.

To bring into disrepute, and reject; to drive from notice and acceptance; as, to explode a scheme, fashion, or doctrine.

Old exploded contrivances of mercantile fraud. Burke.

To explode and exterminate dark atheism. Bently.

3.

To cause to explode or burst noisily; to detonate; as, to explode powder by touching it with fire.

4.

To drive out with violence and noise, as by powder.

But late the kindled powder did explode The massy ball and the brass tube unload. Blackmore.

© Webster 1913.