neutron bomb
2
7.0
- noun
- /ˈnjuːtrɒn bɒm/
- Specialized
:
bomba de neutrones
- The neutron bomb is designed to maximize lethal radiation while minimizing damage to buildings.
- information on the neutron bomb
Examples
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The Israelis use neutron bombs (atomic bombs with a low blast effect but high short-term radiation effect) on a large area of Lebanon and Palestine in an effort to 'kill' the launch sites and personnel involved in the launches.
Blog text (12) -
Many suspect Israel's first test was a neutron bomb detonated near South Africa.
Blog text (11) -
The neutron bomb will be ready for explosion in one hour.
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It's like a neutron bomb went off, killing only people and leaving buildings intact.
Blog text (27) -
Use the neutron bomb to eliminate the rest.
Blog text (13) -
And we also have the neutron bombs that have yet to be tested; sounds like a few places over there would be good test sites.
Blog text (20) -
When plaintiffs' lawyer William Franz thinks about a 2001 U.S. Supreme Court decision on attorney fees, the image that comes to his mind is that of a neutron bomb—which kills all living things but leaves the buildings standing.
Academic text (2003) -
During the Cold War, the neutron bomb was considered a controversial weapon due to its unique effects.
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Military strategists debated the use of the neutron bomb because it would kill people but leave infrastructure unharmed.
Surface Forms
Morphology
Neutron bomb is a straightforward noun–noun compound: its meaning (a bomb that uses neutrons) is directly derivable from 'neutron' (a neutral particle) + 'bomb' (an explosive device), so a learner who knows both words can infer the core concept. The finer technical detail about producing lethal radiation while causing relatively little blast damage is specialist knowledge, but the basic compositional sense is predictable across languages and therefore transparent.
Etymology
Neutron bomb gets its name from tiny particles called neutrons that the weapon sends out. Those neutrons can pass through walls and 'kill people' while causing little damage to buildings, so the name means a weapon that uses deadly neutron radiation but causes little blast damage.