nuke
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A nuclear weapon: A device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions (fission or fusion). It is often used informally to refer to the warhead of a missile.
- A nuclear power plant: In very informal contexts, it can refer to a nuclear reactor or power station.
Verb:
- To attack with nuclear weapons: To bomb a target using atomic weapons.
- To cook or heat in a microwave oven: An informal, slang usage meaning to microwave food.
- To destroy or eliminate completely: Used figuratively to mean to obliterate or annihilate, often in a non-physical context (e.g., in an argument or competition).
Usage Examples
Noun:
- The treaty aimed to reduce the number of nukes in the world.
- The protesters were concerned about the safety of the local nuke.
Verb:
- The strategy was to nuke the enemy's military bases first.
- Just nuke the pizza for two minutes; it'll be ready.
- Our team totally nuked the competition in the finals.
Advanced Usage
"To go nuke": To react with extreme, often disproportionate, anger or force.
- When he saw the mistake, the boss totally went nuke.
"Nuke it from orbit": A phrase (originating from science fiction) meaning to destroy something completely and without hesitation, often as the only sure solution. It is used figuratively.
- The code is so buggy, we should just nuke it from orbit and start over.
Variants and Related Words
- Nuker (n, informal): One who operates nuclear weapons or, in slang, a microwave oven.
- Nuked (adj, informal): Describes food heated in a microwave (e.g., ) or a target destroyed by nuclear attack.
- Thermonuke (n, informal): A thermonuclear weapon (a hydrogen bomb).
Synonyms
- Noun (weapon): Atom bomb, nuclear warhead, A-bomb, thermonuclear device.
- Verb (attack): Bombard, annihilate, obliterate.
- Verb (microwave): Zap, microwave.
Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions
(Note: "Nuke" is typically used as a simple transitive verb. Common informal constructions combine it with prepositions like "out.") - Nuke out: To cook or prepare something by microwaving it. - I'm just going to nuke out some soup for lunch.
Related Idioms
- "Mutually assured destruction (MAD)": A doctrine of military strategy related to nuclear warfare where a full-scale use of nuclear weapons would cause the complete annihilation of both attacker and defender.
- "Pushing the button": Referring to the act of launching a nuclear attack.
Noun
- the warhead of a missile designed to deliver an atom bomb
Verb
- cook or heat in a microwave oven
- You can microwave the leftovers
- bomb with atomic weapons
- strike at with firepower or bombs
- zap the enemy