bomb
gb/bˈɑm/ us/bˈɑm/
B1
English
~ 2400
bomba, elhasal, megbukik, leszerepel, nagyot bukik, király, bombáz, repeszt, száguld
NOUN
B1
1
bomba
A2
Usage pattern:
a [type] bomb
The police evacuated the building after finding a bomb.
A rendőrség kiürítette az épületet, miután bombát találtak benne.
A car bomb exploded in the city center last night.
Tegnap este autóbomba robbant a belvárosban.
They used a robot to defuse the bomb before it went off.
The bomb caused significant damage to nearby homes.
He was arrested for trying to make a homemade bomb.
Learner examples
The police found a bomb in the bag.
A rendőrség bombát talált a táskában.
A bomb exploded in the street.
Bomba robbant az utcán.
They made a bomb to hurt people.
The bomb was very dangerous.
The army dropped a bomb on the target.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'bomb' with 'missile'; a missile is launched and travels to the target, while a bomb is often dropped or placed and then explodes.
Meaning
Explosive weapon device
Collocations
drop a bomb
|plant a bomb
|make a bomb
|defuse a bomb
|bomb blast
|bomb threat
Synonyms
explosive (General term for any substance or device that can explode, not just weapons.)
Antonyms
firearm (A weapon that shoots projectiles without exploding itself.)
Themes
military
|safety
|crime
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A weapon that explodes and can hurt people or damage buildings.
A weapon designed to explode and cause damage or destruction, often through blast and heat.
VERB
B2
INFORMAL
2
Usage pattern:
to bomb [a test/performance/interview]
I totally bombed my driving test last week.
A múlt héten totál elhasaltam a forgalmi vizsgán.
The comedian bombed on stage and left early.
A humorista csúnyán leszerepelt a színpadon, és hamar lelépett.
She bombed her interview and didn’t get the job.
Their new play bombed with critics.
He bombed the math quiz because he didn’t study.
Learner examples
I bombed my English test.
Elhasaltam az angolteszten.
He bombed his job interview.
Csúnyán leszerepelt az állásinterjún.
The singer bombed on stage.
She bombed the quiz and was sad.
They bombed the show last night.
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse this with the literal explosive meaning; in informal contexts about performance, it means to fail, not to blow up something.
Meaning
Fail completely
Collocations
bomb an exam
|bomb a presentation
|bomb on stage
Synonyms
flop (More often used for entertainment or business products than personal performance.)
Antonyms
ace (Informal term for doing extremely well at something, especially a test.)
Themes
education
|entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To do something very badly or fail at it.
To perform very badly at something, especially in an exam, performance, or event.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
3
király
B1
That new burger place is the bomb!
Az az új hamburgerező nagyon király!
Her homemade brownies are the bomb.
A házi brownie-jai nagyon királyak.
This song is the bomb — I can’t stop listening to it.
Learner examples
This pizza is the bomb.
Ez a pizza nagyon király.
Your new phone is the bomb.
Nagyon király az új telefonod.
That movie was the bomb.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'the bomb' means something dangerous; in slang it means excellent.
Meaning
Something excellent
Collocations
the bomb
Synonyms
awesome thing (General informal praise, not tied to slang form 'the bomb'.)
Antonyms
terrible thing (Opposite in quality; something very bad.)
Themes
slang
|entertainment
|daily_life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Something very good or cool.
Something or someone that is outstandingly good or impressive.
VERB
B1
4
bombáz
B1
Usage pattern:
to bomb [a place/target]
The air force bombed the enemy base at dawn.
A légierő hajnalban bombázta az ellenséges bázist.
They threatened to bomb the capital if demands weren’t met.
Azzal fenyegetőztek, hogy bombázni fogják a fővárost, ha nem teljesítik a követeléseiket.
During the war, many towns were heavily bombed.
Learner examples
They will bomb the city tonight.
Ma éjjel bombázni fogják a várost.
The army bombed the enemy base.
A hadsereg bombázta az ellenséges bázist.
Planes bombed the town during the war.
Meaning
Attack with explosives
Collocations
bomb a city
|bomb enemy positions
Synonyms
shell (Usually refers to artillery fire rather than aerial bombs.)
Antonyms
protect (To keep safe from attack rather than cause destruction.)
Themes
military
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To attack a place by using bombs.
To drop or place bombs on a target in order to damage or destroy it.
VERB
B2
INFORMAL
5
Usage pattern:
to bomb [along/down] [a road/path]
He was bombing down the motorway when the police stopped him.
Épp az autópályán repesztett, amikor megállította a rendőrség.
We bombed along the coastal road with the music blasting.
A tengerparti úton repesztettünk, miközben üvöltött a zene.
The kids were bombing down the hill on their bikes.
Learner examples
He was bombing down the road fast.
Gyorsan repesztett végig az úton.
We bombed along the street in the car.
Autóval repesztettünk végig az utcán.
The boys bombed down the hill on bikes.
Meaning
Move quickly by vehicle
Collocations
bomb along the highway
|bomb down the hill
Synonyms
speed (Neutral term for going fast; 'bomb' is more informal and suggests recklessness.)
Antonyms
crawl (Move very slowly.)
Themes
travel
|transportation
Definition
To go somewhere very fast in a car or on a bike.
To travel somewhere very fast, especially in a car or on a bike, often dangerously fast.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bomb
IPA
GB/bˈɑm/
US/bˈɑm/
Syllables & stress
bomb (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (bomb)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: bomb
- Plural: bombs
Verb
- Base: bomb
- 3rd Person Singular: bombs
- Present Participle: bombing
- Past: bombed
Word family
Expressions
bomb out
1/bˈɑm ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
informal
Fail or be forced out due to failure
To fail at something or have to leave because you failed.
Examples
- He bombed out of college after two semesters.
- Their team bombed out in the first round of the tournament.
drop a bombshell
1/dɹˈɑp ə bˈɑmʃˌɛl/
idiom
informal
Announce shocking news suddenly
To say something that surprises people a lot.
Examples
- She dropped a bombshell when she announced she was quitting her job.
- The prime minister dropped a political bombshell during the debate.
go like a bomb
1/ɡˈoʊ lˈaɪk ə bˈɑm/
idiom
informal
Be very successful or fast-moving
To be very successful or work very well; sometimes also to move very fast.
Examples
- Her new bakery is going like a bomb since it opened.
- The old car still goes like a bomb on the highway.
look like a bomb hit it
1/lˈʊk lˈaɪk ə bˈɑm hˈɪt ˈɪt/
idiom
informal
Be very messy or disorderly
To be very messy, as if something bad happened there.
Examples
- Your room looks like a bomb hit it! Clean up now.
- After the party, the kitchen looked like a bomb had hit it.