torpedo

American  

[tawr-pee-doh] / tɔrˈpi doʊ /

noun

plural

torpedoes

1. a self-propelled, cigar-shaped missile containing explosives and often equipped with a homing device, launched from a submarine or other warship, for destroying surface vessels or other submarines.

2. any of various submarine explosive devices for destroying hostile ships, as a mine.

3. a cartridge of gunpowder, dynamite, or the like, exploded in an oil well to facilitate the extraction of oil from the well.

4. a detonating device fastened to the top of a rail so as to be exploded by the pressure of a locomotive or car, thus giving an audible signal to members of a train crew.

5. any of various other explosive devices, as a firework that consists of an explosive wrapped up with gravel in a piece of tissue paper and that detonates when thrown forcibly on the ground or against a hard surface.

6. Also called torpedo fish.  an electric ray, especially Torpedo nobiliana, of the Atlantic Ocean.

7. an electric catfish, Malapterurus electricus, inhabiting waters of tropical central Africa and the Nile valley.

8. Informal. a hero sandwich.

9. Slang. a gangster hired as a murderer.

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verb (used with object)

torpedoed, torpedoing

1. to attack, hit, damage, or destroy with torpedoes.

2. to explode a torpedo in (an oil well) to facilitate the extraction of oil.

3. to undermine, ruin, or destroy.

   He torpedoed our plans.

verb (used without object)

torpedoed, torpedoing

1. to attack, damage, or sink a ship with torpedoes.

torpedo British  

/ tɔːˈpiːdəʊ /

noun

1. a cylindrical self-propelled weapon carrying explosives that is launched from aircraft, ships, or submarines and follows an underwater path to hit its target

2. obsolete a submarine mine

3. a firework containing gravel and a percussion cap that explodes when dashed against a hard surface

4. a detonator placed on a railway line as a danger signal

5. any of various electric rays of the genus Torpedo

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verb

1. to hit (a ship, etc) with one or a number of torpedoes

2. to render ineffective; destroy or wreck

   to torpedo the administration's plan

Regionalisms

See hero sandwich.

Other Word Forms

• torpedo-like adjective
• torpedolike adjective
• untorpedoed adjective

Etymology

Origin of torpedo

1510–20; < Latin torpēdō numbness, torpidity, electric ray, equivalent to torpē ( re ) to be stiff ( torpid ¹ ) + -dō noun suffix

Example Sentences

But the boost in defense spending looks set to torpedo those losses—and add some gains on top—in Thursday’s trading.

From Barron's

But the boost in defense spending looks set to torpedo those losses—and add some gains on top—in Thursday’s trading.

From Barron's

The goal of the game is to help the player executives think through how to manage their company’s cash, time and other resources—and pivoting when the most thoughtful plans are torpedoed.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Administration seems determined to avoid the endless fiddles that torpedoed the frigate.

From The Wall Street Journal

Tech lobbyists worry that by going solo, Sacks torpedoed any chance of effective national regulation.

From Barron's

Related Words

• batter
• decimate
• demolish
• destroy
• devastate
• impair
• injure
• mangle
• mar
• ravage
• raze
• ruin
• sabotage
• shatter
• sink
• smash
• spoil
• trash
• undermine
• vandalize