bombshell
- a bomb.
- something or someone having a sudden and sensational effect: The news of his resignation was a bombshell.
Origin of bombshell
Related Words for bombshell
bump, shock, reversal, punch, setback, excitement, thrill, phenomenon, prodigy, impact, disturbance, consternation, collapse, confusion, jolt, earthquake, trauma, awe, injury, scareExamples from the Web for bombshell
Contemporary Examples of bombshell
And instead of choosing to drop the Thor bombshell at the upcoming San Diego Comic Con, Marvel revealed the change on The View.
She was also a buxom beauty, a kind of nineteenth century bombshell who loved to flirt.
Then, at the end of the first trimester, John drops a bombshell: there is not one love-child, but two.
Feller also represents victim No. 2, whose story was the subject of bombshell trial testimony.
That would be quite a bombshell indeed—not to mention a prodigious technical feat.
A Geek’s Guide to the NSA Scandal: What You May Not Know About Data CollectionCharles Johnson
June 20, 2013
Historical Examples of bombshell
I found out afterwards that they'd been on the lookout for the bombshell for half an hour.
The Depot MasterJoseph C. Lincoln
A second potato burst like a bombshell on the shingles behind him.
The Depot MasterJoseph C. Lincoln
Had a bombshell burst over my head the effect could have been no greater.
The Long VoyageCarl Richard Jacobi
If a bombshell had dropped into Sellersville, consternation could not have been more complete.
The Mountain DivideFrank H. Spearman
His appearance in the fray was like that of a bombshell timed to explode in its midst.
The Mountain DivideFrank H. Spearman
bombshell
- (esp formerly) a bomb or artillery shell
- a shocking or unwelcome surprisethe news of his death was a bombshell
- informal an attractive girl or woman (esp in the phrase blonde bombshell)
Word Origin and History for bombshell
1708, from bomb (n.) + shell (n.). The figurative sense of "shattering or devastating thing or event" attested from 1860. In reference to a pretty woman (especially a blonde) it is attested from 1942 ("Bombshell" as title of a movie starring blond U.S. actress Jean Harlow (1911-1937) is from 1933).
Idioms and Phrases with bombshell
bombshell
see drop a bombshell.