nuclear warhead
35
5.0
- noun
- /ˈnjuːklɪər ˈwɔːrˌhɛd/
- NSFW
:
ogiva nuclear
- Hard power is military might—tanks, planes, nuclear warheads, submarines, and soldiers—lots of soldiers.
- missiles with nuclear warheads
- carry nuclear warheads
- strategic nuclear warhead
Each one of those is a nuclear warhead ready to kill off underneath my foot.
- Each one of those is a nuclear warhead ready to kill off underneath my foot.
- It counts napalm and the cost of a nuclear warhead and armored cars for police who fight riots in the streets.
Examples
-
The U.S.S.R. has been dismantled, and so have many nuclear warheads.
Academic text (2007) -
The US has not developed a new nuclear warhead since 1988 and has not conducted a nuclear test since 1992.
Academic text (2003) -
Do you know how many, how many nuclear warheads the the other six countries have?
-
We spent millions on nuclear warheads.
-
But the Americans will send nuclear warheads.
-
Strategic nuclear warheads should ideally be kept separate from tactical ones.
Academic text (2010) -
Each rail car contains a ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead.
-
Third, North Korea has a well-developed missile program that could provide a ready delivery vehicle for nuclear warheads.
Academic text (2003) -
Within 15 years, the US stockpile had grown to 30,000 nuclear warheads.
Academic text (1995) -
The United States is modernizing its nuclear warheads, making them more precise.
Synonyms
634
3.5
A very powerful bomb that uses energy from splitting or joining atoms
225
6.8
The front part of a missile or rocket that holds the explosive used to destroy a target
148
7.6
A very powerful bomb that uses nuclear energy
96
4.8
A thing that can kill or injure many people, like nuclear, chemical and biological devices
66
2.3
A very powerful weapon that splits atoms to make a huge explosion and destroy large areas
32
3.0
A very powerful weapon that splits atoms to release huge energy
16
3.0
A very powerful weapon that splits atoms to cause a huge explosion
11
3.5
A very powerful explosive that uses energy from splitting or joining atoms to destroy things
8
4.9
A very powerful nuclear bomb that makes a huge explosion by joining hydrogen atoms
2
7.0
A weapon that kills people mainly with radiation but leaves buildings mostly standing
1
6.3
A weapon that makes a very large explosion by joining light atoms like hydrogen
1
5.1
Part of a missile or bomb that explodes and has a nuclear weapon
1
7.4
A bomb put on a missile that uses nuclear energy to make a very large explosion
1
6.9
A very powerful weapon that makes a huge explosion by joining tiny hydrogen atoms at extreme heat
1
6.7
A bomb that releases a huge amount of energy by splitting heavy atoms like uranium or plutonium
1
7.2
A very powerful bomb that uses plutonium to make a huge nuclear explosion
How Powerful
- Specialized
1
7.4
- NSFW
35
5.0
- Specialized
13
5.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'nuclear' specifies the type of explosive and 'warhead' names the explosive component, so together they denote a warhead that uses nuclear explosives. This adjective + noun composition is a standard, cross-linguistically common pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to understand the MWE.
Etymology
Nuclear warhead literally names the part of a missile or bomb that holds a nuclear explosive. The warhead is the 'head' or front piece that carries the bomb, so imagine the front of a missile carrying a very small but hugely powerful bomb that will explode — that image explains why the phrase means a weapon piece meant to cause a nuclear explosion.