molotov coctail

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • Improvised incendiary weapon: A "Molotov cocktail" is a crude, hand-thrown bomb consisting of a glass bottle filled with a flammable liquid (such as gasoline or alcohol) and a cloth wick that is ignited before throwing. It is used to start fires or damage targets, often in riots, protests, or military conflicts.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • The protesters threw a Molotov cocktail at the police vehicle. (They used an improvised fire bomb.)
    • During the war, soldiers learned how to construct a Molotov cocktail from simple materials. (They learned to make this incendiary device.)
Advanced Usage
  • "Molotov cocktail" as a metaphor: Sometimes used figuratively to describe something that is highly volatile, explosive, or likely to cause sudden conflict.
    • His speech was a political Molotov cocktail, igniting tensions across the country. (The speech was highly inflammatory and controversial.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Molotov cocktail (n): the standard term; no common variants, but note that "Molotov" is a proper name (after Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov, though the weapon was not invented by him).
    • The term "Molotov cocktail" originated during the Winter War (1939–1940) between Finland and the Soviet Union.
Synonyms
  • Firebomb: a general term for any bomb designed to cause fire.
  • Petrol bomb: a common synonym in British English, emphasizing the use of gasoline (petrol).
Related Idioms
  • No specific idioms directly use "Molotov cocktail," but it may appear in phrases like:
    • "To throw a Molotov cocktail": literally, to use the weapon; figuratively, to introduce a highly disruptive element.
      • The new policy was a Molotov cocktail thrown into the debate. (It caused sudden, intense disagreement.)