Definition of implode in English:
- The window to my left bowed inwards, then imploded in a spray of bottle-green glass and the carriage jerked violently to the side under me, slamming me into the upholstered wall.
- The south tower collapsed on itself, imploding with a force that sent up a cloud of dust and debris so dense it could be seen by satellites orbiting Earth.
- The plasma flying out from the ablation layer implodes the fuel, compressing its density about a thousand times and causing it to burn.
explode from (mid 16th century):
In Roman days bad performers were exploded, for explode comes from Latin explodere ‘to drive off with hissing or clapping, to boo off the stage’, from ex- ‘out’ and plaudere ‘to clap’ ( see plaudit). Early meanings of explode were ‘to reject scornfully’, and ‘to show to be false’ (still used in phrases like explode a theory). The modern sense appeared in the late 18th century via the sense ‘to force out violently and noisily’. Implode was formed on the pattern of explode in the late 19th century using in- ‘within’.
- Example sentences
- We've compiled a list of the most significant implosions of the recent past and the stories surrounding them.
- While we don't often hear about them, there are plenty of implosions happening in Europe.
- Even though all the buildings had exactly the same design, blasters handled the implosions differently for each phase.
Definition of implode in:
- British & World English dictionary
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