Definition

Noun: A flying bomb is a type of early guided missile, specifically a small, unmanned, jet-propelled aircraft with wings, designed to carry and deliver an explosive warhead over a distance. It is a precursor to modern cruise missiles.

Usage

The term is used to describe a specific class of historical weaponry, most famously the German V-1 missile used during World War II. It functions as a compound noun.

Examples

• The flying bomb was a terrifying new weapon during the war.
• Air raid sirens warned of incoming flying bombs.
• Historians study the impact of the flying bomb on civilian populations.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in a historical military context.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe any fast, unstoppable, and destructive force, though this is less common.
  • The scandal hit the company like a flying bomb.

Variants and Related Words

• Buzz bomb: (noun) An informal synonym for "flying bomb," particularly the V-1, named for the distinct buzzing sound of its pulsejet engine.
• Doodlebug: (noun) A British colloquial term for the V-1 flying bomb.
• V-1: (noun) The specific designation for the first operational flying bomb, used by Germany.
• Cruise missile: (noun) A modern, more advanced type of guided, jet or propeller-driven missile that is the technological descendant of the flying bomb.

Synonyms

• Pilotless aircraft
• Guided missile (early type)

Related Phrases/Idioms

• To be like a flying bomb: To arrive or occur with sudden, devastating speed and impact. (Figurative, rare)
  • The news of the merger came in like a flying bomb, shocking the entire industry.

Noun

1. a small jet-propelled winged missile that carries a bomb