dynamite

Etymology

Coined by Alfred Nobel in 1867. Ultimately from Ancient Greek δύναμις (dúnamis, “power”) + -ite, most likely under the influence of dynamo or dynamic.

noun

1. A class of explosives made from nitroglycerine in an absorbent medium such as kieselguhr, used in mining and blasting.
2. (informal, proscribed) A stick of trinitrotoluene (TNT).
3. (figurative, slang, uncountable) Anything exceptionally dangerous, exciting or wonderful.
   And your shoulders are frozen (Cold as the night) / Oh, but you're an explosion (You're dynamite) 2005, Alex Turner (lyrics and music), “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor”, performed by Arctic Monkeys
   That girl was dynamite. Dark hair with killer blue eyes, bronze skin, and an exquisite full-figured body. He warned us: "That issue about what's been happening at that factory, is political dynamite. Keep the lid on it." 2016, Kit Moulton, Annabella, page 108
4. (slang) A strong drug, in particular heroin, cocaine or potent marijuana.

verb

1. To blow up with dynamite or other high explosive.
   … on Sunday, August 23, the L.N.W.R. tunnel was closed to enable the old brickwork to be dynamited away, traffic being diverted meanwhile through the M.R. tunnel. 1960 February, R. C. Riley, “The London-Birmingham services - Past, Present and Future”, in Trains Illustrated, page 101
2. (figurative) To dismantle or destroy.
   Even the successful battle in the last century to overturn the court’s infamous Plessy vs. Ferguson “separate but equal” doctrine wasn’t a frontal assault that dynamited precedent. July 29 2021, Harry Litman, “Column: Mississippi’s abortion brief dynamites standing law and ‘super duper’ precedents”, in The Los Angeles Times
3. (transitive, of brakes) To apply maximum pressure to very quickly.
   dynamite the brakes
   Juan dynamited the brakes and the car skidded to a halt. 2009, Claude M. Pearson, Portia Rising, page 50
   The 1977 Pontiacs had a tendency of dying if you were at high speed and dynamited the brakes. 2014, Mike Davis, Hunting Men: The Career of an Oregon State Police Detective, page 6
   At the critical moment I'd learned from countless action flicks I dynamited the brakes and felt the impact of the sedan against my rear bumper. 2018, Laird Barron, Blood Standard
4. (intransitive, of brakes) To lock up from being invoked too suddenly.
   the brakes will dynamite