whizz-bang

British  

noun

1. a small-calibre World War I shell that, when discharged, travelled at such a high velocity that the sound of its flight was heard only an instant, if at all, before the sound of its explosion

2. a type of firework that jumps around emitting a whizzing sound and occasional bangs

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adjective

1. informal excellent or first-rate

Example Sentences

In private, government insiders are not expecting a giant whizz-bang new deal with our closest trading partners.

From BBC • May 17, 2025

However, not all of these busy little bots are created equal, and you’ll pay more for those with whizz-bang features that make your life a little easier.

From The Verge • Jul. 8, 2022

We’re not expecting much in terms of whizz-bang feature announcements this year; the company has reportedly decided to take a step back and hone its existing software offerings.

From Slate • May 31, 2018

Natural gas, thanks to the rapid spread of “fracking”, a whizz-bang technique to extract oil and gas from shale, is cheap and abundant.

From Economist • Aug. 9, 2012

Of the German shells—the field guns come with a great velocity—no warning—just whizz-bang; white smoke, nearly always air bursts.

From In Flanders Fields and Other Poems by Macphail, Andrew, Sir