powder magazine
1
8.4
- noun
- /ˈpaʊdər ˈmæɡəˌzin/
- Specialized
:
polvorín
- The soldiers stored ammunition in the powder magazine to ensure it was kept safe from fire.
Examples
-
During the inspection, the officer noted that the powder magazine was well-secured and fully stocked.
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Terry's father had a two-man gold mine over at MacKay Bar, and it was obvious the boys had been in his powder magazine.
Fiction book (1990) -
-It's like a powder magazine.
-
Sir, order to load the powder magazine.
-
It was most likely the powder magazine.
-
In World War II, a Navy water tender first class rushed into a burning powder magazine that was about to explode after it was hit by an enemy shell.
Academic text (1998) -
A historic powder magazine at the fort is now a popular site for educational tours about military history.
Synonyms
6
7.4
A secure place on a ship or base where weapons and ammunition are kept
A locked room on a ship where weapons like guns and bullets are kept
How Big
- Specialized
1
8.4
- Archaic
1
7.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'powder' (gunpowder) modifies 'magazine' (a storage depot), so a learner who knows both words will infer a room/building for storing gunpowder. This is a common noun-noun compound pattern and, despite 'magazine' also meaning a periodical, contextual cues (e.g. military, base) make the storage sense clear to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Powder magazine paints a clear picture: a locked magazine that held barrels of powder for a ship or fort. The word magazine once meant a 'store', so the phrase means 'a building or room used for safely storing gunpowder or other explosives'.