carpet-bomb

A squadron of planes carpet-bombs the enemy's supply lines.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To bomb an area extensively with many bombs: "carpet-bomb" means to drop a large number of bombs over a wide area, typically in a pattern that covers the entire target zone like a carpet, with the intent of causing maximum destruction.
   • To overwhelm with a large quantity: In a figurative sense, "carpet-bomb" can mean to inundate someone or something with a large amount of information, requests, or other items, often in a forceful or relentless manner.

Usage Examples

• Literal (military):

  • The air force decided to carpet-bomb the enemy positions to ensure no resistance remained. (They dropped many bombs across a wide area.)
  • During the war, entire cities were carpet-bombed, leaving widespread devastation. (Cities were heavily bombed from above.)

• Figurative (non-military):

  • The marketing team chose to carpet-bomb potential customers with emails and advertisements. (They sent a huge number of messages to many people.)
  • He carpet-bombed the hiring manager with job applications, hoping one would succeed. (He sent many applications in a short time.)

Advanced Usage

• "to carpet-bomb a region": to target a geographical area with intensive bombing.

  • The general ordered his planes to carpet-bomb the valley to destroy supply lines. (The bombing covered the entire valley.)

• "to carpet-bomb with information": to provide an overwhelming amount of data or communication.

  • The professor carpet-bombed the students with research papers before the exam. (He gave them many papers to read at once.)

Variants and Related Words

• Carpet-bombing (noun): the act or process of carpet-bombing.

  • Carpet-bombing was a controversial tactic in the conflict. (The bombing strategy was debated.)

• Carpet-bomber (noun): a person or aircraft that carries out carpet-bombing.

  • The B-52 was a notorious carpet-bomber during the war. (A bomber plane used for this purpose.)

Synonyms

• Saturate: to fill something completely, often with a large amount.
  • They saturated the area with bombs. (They bombed it heavily.)
• Inundate: to overwhelm with a flood of something.
  • The office was inundated with paperwork. (Overwhelmed by a large quantity.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Carpet-bomb out: to destroy or remove something through extensive bombing.

  • The enemy forces were carpet-bombed out of the region. (Bombed until they left or were eliminated.)

• Carpet-bomb with: to use a particular method or item to overwhelm.

  • She carpet-bombed the committee with proposals. (She sent many proposals at once.)

Related Idioms

• Rain bombs from the sky: a descriptive phrase for carpet-bombing, though not an idiom itself.
• Drop a bombshell: to reveal shocking news, which shares the idea of sudden impact but is not directly related.