dirty bomb
10
7.7
- noun
- /ˈdɜrti bɑm/
- NSFW
:
bomba sucia
- To guard against so-called dirty bombs, we led the international community in a global effort to account for, secure, and dispose of excess radiological sources that could be used in such devices.
You could frankly give these dirty bombs to Hamas or Hezbollah.
- You could frankly give these dirty bombs to Hamas or Hezbollah.
Examples
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Dirty bombs cause local contamination and costly cleanup but not true mass destruction; they too should be given lower priority.
Academic text (2004) -
Couple of weeks ago, U.S. Special Forces uncovered a plot to smuggle a dirty bomb out of Morocco.
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But the threat of a dirty bomb is a serious matter.
Blog text (33) -
There are dozens of dirty bombs scattered about America.
Blog text (33) -
We have information that downtown Chicago is the next target, and they're planning to detonate a dirty bomb.
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With relatively little radioactive material obtained from low-level waste from a power plant or medical facility, terrorists could easily construct a "dirty bomb" using simple explosives.
Academic text (2003) -
The term WMD generally applies to nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons; ballistic missiles; and, more recently, "dirty bombs," ordinary explosives containing some radioactive material.
Academic text (2004) -
Imagine if a terrorist set off a dirty bomb in the middle of a city, spreading radioactive material everywhere.
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Authorities are on high alert for any signs of a dirty bomb being used in a crowded area.
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We have received warnings that a dirty bomb could be detonated in a major urban center, causing widespread contamination.
Surface Forms
Morphology
dirty + bomb
A B1 learner who knows 'dirty' and 'bomb' can likely infer this refers to a bomb that makes an area 'dirty' or contaminated, so the adjective + noun composition gives a general clue. However, the specific notion of dispersing radioactive material (and the distinction from a nuclear blast) is specialized and not fully predictable from the constituents alone, so prior exposure is needed for the precise meaning.
Etymology
The noun dirty bomb comes from the image of a small bomb that scatters radioactive 'dirt' and makes a place dirty rather than causing a huge nuclear blast. That's why it means a bomb made to spread radioactive material and contaminate an area.