bazooka

Etymology 1

From an extension of the word bazoo (“mouth, boastful talk”), which ultimately probably stems from Dutch bazuin (“trumpet”). In the finance sense first used by policymakers during the European debt crisis (2010).

noun

1. (music) A primitive trombone having wide tubes.
2. (weaponry) A shoulder-held rocket launcher used as an antitank weapon, developed by America during World War II and so-called from its resemblance to the bazooka musical instrument.
3. (by extension) Any shoulder-fired rocket grenade launcher.
4. (slang, sexuality) A woman's breast, especially a big one.
5. (finance slang) A large rescue or stimulus package.
   Suppose the EFSF buys some bonds. That will push down yields for awhile. But what happens when the money starts to run out? Yields will go back up. A firebreak/firewall/bazooka needs unlimited funds to work. 2012-06-21, Matthew O'Brien, “Why the Euro Crisis Will Never End in 1 Chart”, in The Atlantic
   “I don’t think [policymakers] realise it’s not enough,” said a veteran fixed-income investor in Hong Kong. “You need some big bazooka action to improve sentiment as a whole.” 2022-08-24, Thomas Hale, Cheng Leng, Hudson Lockett, “Investors price in $130bn loss on China developers’ dollar bonds”, in Financial Times

verb

1. To shoot with a bazooka.

Etymology 2

Alteration of Spanish bazuco, basuco, derived from base. Doublet of basuco.

noun

1. (slang) Crack cocaine.