antipersonnel bomb

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Explanation of "Antipersonnel Bomb"

Definition: An "antipersonnel bomb" is a type of bomb that is designed to harm or kill people rather than destroy buildings or vehicles. It has a small amount of explosive material (about 10 to 20 percent) and is mainly made of casings that break apart into many small pieces when it explodes. These small pieces can travel very fast and can injure or kill people, especially soldiers.

Usage Instructions:

• Part of Speech: Noun
• How to Use: You can use "antipersonnel bomb" when discussing military weapons, explosives, or warfare. It is often used in serious contexts, such as news reports, discussions about military strategy, or safety regulations.

Example Sentence:

"The military decided to ban the use of antipersonnel bombs in the conflict, as they cause too many civilian casualties."

Advanced Usage:

In a more advanced context, you might encounter discussions about international law, ethics in warfare, or military strategies, where the term "antipersonnel bomb" is used to highlight the humanitarian concerns associated with such weapons.

Word Variants:

• Antipersonnel (adjective): This describes anything designed to target people rather than objects. For example, "antipersonnel weapons" refers to various types of weapons, including bombs and mines.
• Bomb (noun): A general term for an explosive weapon.

Different Meanings:

While "antipersonnel bomb" specifically refers to a military explosive, the word "bomb" can have other meanings: 1. As a verb: "to bomb" means to attack with bombs. 2. In slang: "bomb" can also mean to fail spectacularly (e.g., "The movie bombed at the box office").

Synonyms:

• Fragmentation bomb: This term is often used interchangeably, as it refers to bombs that create many small fragments upon explosion.
• Cluster bomb: A type of bomb that releases smaller bombs over a wide area, also targeting people.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

While there aren't idioms or phrasal verbs that specifically include "antipersonnel bomb," you might encounter phrases like: - "Drop a bombshell": This means to reveal surprising or shocking news. - "Bomb out": This means to fail badly, often used in a non-military context.

Summary:

An "antipersonnel bomb" is a dangerous weapon designed to harm people, primarily used in military settings.

Academic

Noun

1. a bomb with only 10 to 20 per cent explosive and the remainder consisting of casings designed to break into many small high-velocity fragments; most effective against troops and vehicles

Synonyms

• fragmentation bomb
• anti-personnel bomb
• daisy cutter