grenade

[ gri-neyd ]

noun

1. a small shell containing an explosive and thrown by hand or fired from a rifle or launching device.
2. a similar missile containing a chemical, as for dispersing tear gas or fire-extinguishing substances.

verb (used with object)

, gre·nad·ed, gre·nad·ing.

1. to attack with a grenade or grenades.

grenade

/ ɡrɪˈneɪd /

noun

1. a small container filled with explosive thrown by hand or fired from a rifle
2. a sealed glass vessel that is thrown and shatters to release chemicals, such as tear gas or a fire extinguishing agent

Word History and Origins

Origin of grenade¹

1525–35; < French < Spanish granada pomegranate, special use of granado having grains < Latin grānātus. See grain, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of grenade¹

C16: from French, from Spanish granada pomegranate, from Late Latin grānāta, from Latin grānātus seedy; see grain

Example Sentences

Initially Special Operator Josh Vriens, a SEAL sniper, thought the display of firepower “looked cool,” Philipps writes, “but as they continued to launch grenades over the river it dawned on him that it was also incredibly stupid.”

From Washington Post

It is capable of producing big, booming sounds like grenades going off with incredible detail and texture.

From Popular-Science

With hands held overhead, the Marine waits for the grenade to spin up, and then releases it into the air.

From Popular-Science

The reasoning is that it’s preferable for a Jaguar to risk taking a hit from a rocket-propelled grenade or anti-material rifle than a human soldier.

From The Daily Beast

“I would say the grenade that is being thrown right now is being thrown at small businesses,” she said.

From Washington Post

Cops launched a flash grenade through the window and officer Joseph Weekley fired, fatally striking Stanley-Jones.

From The Daily Beast

The authorities were trying to arrest another man suspected of throwing a stun grenade when Hamdan attacked.

From The Daily Beast

His companions—one a woman—urge him to let loose with a rocket-propelled grenade and he fires.

From The Daily Beast

In any event, for the Kudo-kai, the police arrest of their top dog is expected to have the impact of a well-thrown hand grenade.

From The Daily Beast

We could say we were approached by a local bad guy with a grenade in his hand.

From The Daily Beast

Tam had a tray of bombs under the fuselage—something in destructive quality between a Mills grenade and a three-inch shell.

From Project Gutenberg

When I said this, I turned to jab a claw at the other priests, using the motion to cover my flicking a coin grenade toward them.

From Project Gutenberg

In this sector life in the trenches was made more uncertain than ever by the introduction of the rifle grenade by the Germans.

From Project Gutenberg

A Divisional grenade school was formed, at which 13 officers and 260 other ranks were put through a course every week.

From Project Gutenberg

From the trials made we could not notice any appreciable superiority over the salt solution as used in the Harden grenade.

From Project Gutenberg