tinderbox

[ tin-der-boks ]

noun
  1. a box for holding tinder, usually fitted with a flint and steel.

  2. a person or thing that is highly excitable, explosive, inflammable, etc.; a potential source of widespread violence: Berlin was the tinderbox of Europe.

Origin of tinderbox

1
First recorded in 1520–30; tinder + box1

Words Nearby tinderbox

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tinderbox in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tinderbox

tinderbox

/ (ˈtɪndəˌbɒks) /


noun
  1. a box used formerly for holding tinder, esp one fitted with a flint and steel

  2. a person or thing that is particularly touchy or explosive

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