nuclear weapon

(redirected from Abomb)
Also found in: Thesaurus, Encyclopedia.

nuclear weapon

A weapon, such as an atomic bomb or hydrogen bomb, whose destructive power comes from the release of nuclear energy.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

nu′clear weap′on

an explosive device whose destructive potential derives from the release of energy that accompanies the splitting or combining of atomic nuclei.

[1945–50]

nuclear weapon

A weapon whose destructive power comes from nuclear energy; an atomic bomb or a hydrogen bomb. Also called thermonuclear weapon.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

nuclear weapon

A complete assembly (i.e., implosion type, gun type, or thermonuclear type), in its intended ultimate configuration which, upon completion of the prescribed arming, fusing, and firing sequence, is capable of producing the intended nuclear reaction and release of energy.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun

nuclear weapon - a weapon of mass destruction whose explosive power derives from a nuclear reaction

atomic weapon

A-bomb, atom bomb, atomic bomb, fission bomb, plutonium bomb - a nuclear weapon in which enormous energy is released by nuclear fission (splitting the nuclei of a heavy element like uranium 235 or plutonium 239)

atomic warhead, nuclear warhead, nuke, thermonuclear warhead - the warhead of a missile designed to deliver an atom bomb

fusion bomb, H-bomb, hydrogen bomb, thermonuclear bomb - a nuclear weapon that releases atomic energy by union of light (hydrogen) nuclei at high temperatures to form helium

megaton bomb - a nuclear weapon with an explosive power equivalent to one million tons of TNT

W.M.D., weapon of mass destruction, WMD - a weapon that kills or injures civilian as well as military personnel (nuclear and chemical and biological weapons)

Translations

Atomwaffe

arma nuclear

bombe atomique

References in periodicals archive ?

ABOMB hoaxer who brought a Newcastle street to a standstill has been spared jail.

Laughing hoaxer spared a prison sentence

ARedhillresident has been charged in relation to abomb scare on his road that led to an evacuation.

Man charged with firearms and ammunition charges after Redhill bomb scare that led to evacuation; Police have charged Stephen Young with six charges relating to possession of firearms and ammunition

The revamped set is reside just three miles away from Manchester Arena, where 22 people were killed last May after abomb was detonated following an Ariana Grande concert.

Coronation Street terror fears: Bosses ban fans from bringing rucksacks as part of stricter security rules on tours of new set; The Street's new [pounds sterling]10 million set at MediaCity opens to the public for the first time this weekend

But remember that Lyndon Johnson now had very broad coattails and he had brought in 46 freshmen congressmen in the landslide against Goldwater and his Abomb monger self.

Ekwueme Michael Thelwell oral history interview

The UK prime minister had stated that "although there could be no validation that thecauseof the crash was abomb planted abroad, it was still a more likely alternative", according to CNN.

Al-Sisi meets Cameron amid back and forth UK-Egypt remarks

Al Hashemi is also accused of planting abomb outside the home of an Egyptian-American doctor at Al Habtoor Tower on the Corniche.

Screams and a bloody knife: Witnesses describe horror scene at Reem Ghost murder trial

That alone drops the Abomb at the start of the month.

Best tapping the energy resources

"I mean, I can't necessarily deactivate abomb, but if I can do an Argentine tango in a week ..." One step at a time, Z.

Hot topic

ABOMB disposal unit in Afghanistan seems an unlikely setting for a sitcom, but this is the latest idea from the people at BBC Three.

Comedy should go down a bomb

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (TAP) - Abomb killed at least five people and wounded 90 near a Shi'ite procession in Dera Ismail Khan on Sunday, police said, as the government struggles to stop this wave of attacks.