lyddite

American  

[lid-ahyt] / ˈlɪd aɪt /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a high explosive consisting chiefly of picric acid.

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lyddite British  

/ ˈlɪdaɪt /

noun

1. an explosive consisting chiefly of fused picric acid

2. a dense black variety of chert, formerly used as a touchstone

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Etymology

Origin of lyddite

1885–90; named after Lydd, borough in SE England near the site where it was first tested; see -ite ¹

Example Sentences

"With us loaded down to the gunn'l wi' lyddite, an' the prospect o' being a target for every German gun within range o' this road."

From Between the Lines by Cable, Boyd

At the same time, they landed the forty-pounder guns on an island but a short distance from the town, and thence opened fire with lyddite shells upon it.

From With Kitchener in the Soudan A Story of Atbara and Omdurman by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)

As he has said, it is a desperate night of driving sleet and swirling blackness, illuminated only with the malignant coruscations of lyddite bursting-charges.

From The Dop Doctor by Dehan, Richard

The long mound of raw red earth, crusted with greenish-yellow streaks of lyddite from the bursting-charges, rises now immediately before him.

From The Dop Doctor by Dehan, Richard

Their 12-pounders began to snort and to roar, and lyddite whizzed and shrieked over to Grobler's Hill and in the neighbourhood of Fort Wylie.

From South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 2 (of 6) From the Commencement of the War to the Battle of Colenso, 15th Dec. 1899 by Creswicke, Louis