firecrackern.
/ˈfʌɪəˌkrakə/, U.S. /ˈfaɪ(ə)rˌkrækər/ 1. A type of loud explosive firework. Cf. cracker n. 6a. Chiefly U.S. in the 19th cent.
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the world > matter > light > firework > [noun] > cracker or squib
squib1534
crackera1592
breaker1630
serpent1634
fizgig1647
firecracker1650
petard1668
reporter1688
riprap1709
swarmer1740
mine1769
India cracker1780
throwdown1877
whizz-bang1881
flip-flap1885
snake1891
thunderflash1943
banger1959
1650 H. More Observ. Anthroposophia Theomagica 3 The word σκιρτηδòν..seemes to allude to..fire-crackers and squibs rather then Cannons or Carbines.
1823 Commerc. Directory (J. C. Kayser & Co.) (Tariff) 9/1 Fire Crackers.
1878 J. B. Frémont Year Amer. Trav. 137 The signal for starting was the exploding of fire-crackers by the hundred boxes.
1894 Outing (U.S.) 24 106/1 You drop that little firecracker or I'll send you after your father!
1902 G. H. Lorimer Lett. Self-made Merchant vi. 76 It isn't possible to make so much noise with a firecracker as with a cannon.
1976 Sydney Morning Herald 12 June 36 Police had warned against the misuse of firecrackers at traditional Queen's Birthday bonfire night celebrations.
2012 New Yorker 19 Mar. 40/2 Most of our firecrackers were Black Cats, but we had some cherry bombs, too.
2. figurative. colloquial (originally U.S.).
a. A situation or thing that is explosive or controversial in nature; (also) something which is exciting or outstanding.
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the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > excellent person or thing
carbunclea1350
swanc1386
phoenixc1400
diamondc1440
broocha1464
surmounterc1500
sovereign?a1513
primrose peerless1523
superlative1577
transcendent1593
Arabian birda1616
crack1637
first rate1681
peach1710
phoenicle1711
admiration1717
spanker1751
first-raterc1760
no slouch of1767
nailer1806
tip-topper1822
ripper1825
ripstaver1828
apotheosis1832
clinker1836
clipper1836
bird1839
keener1839
ripsnorter1840
beater1845
firecracker1845
pumpkin1845
screamer1846
stunner1847
bottler1855
beaut1866
bobby-dazzler1866
one out of the box1867
stem-winder1875
corker1877
trimmer1878
hot stuff1884
daisy1886
jim-dandy1887
cracker1891
jim-hickey1895
peacherino1896
pippin1897
alpha plus1898
peacherine1900
pip1900
humdinger1905
bosker1906
hummer1907
good egg1914
superstar1914
the berries1918
bee's knee1923
the cat's whiskers1923
smash1923
smash hit1923
brahma1925
dilly1935
piss-cutter1935
killer1937
killer-diller1938
a hard act to follow1942
peacheroo1942
bitch1946
brammerc1950
hot shit1960
Tiffany1973
bollocks1981
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > danger > [noun] > instance or cause of > dangerous subject or affair
waterOE
troubled waters1632
firecracker1845
minefield1963
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [noun] > quality or fact of being extreme > something exceedingly great in degree > and therefore causing astonishment
sockdolager1838
firecracker1845
doozy1916
doozer1930
1845 North Amer. (Philadelphia) 23 Oct. The Spirit of the Times of yesterday ‘doubts’ the ‘neutrality’ of the North American, and lets off a fire cracker at us, in the following style.
1943 Daily News (Huntingdon, Pa.) 28 July 9/5 Whether today's conference is a real firecracker or just a sparkler will depend largely on the foreign policy proposals Watson presents.
1946 Corpus-Christi (Texas) Caller-Times 30 June 29/1 (advt.) All the unusual joys of guest ranch and seaside resort plus a fire-cracker of a dance and a chuck-wagon barbecue.
1971 Stereo Rev. Aug. 80/2 The real dazzler is the bonus item, the nineteen-minute Fantaisie Polonaise, a real firecracker if ever there was one.
1990 Village Voice (N.Y.) 16 Oct. 8/3 Sunday's Houston Post front-paged a firecracker by [their] ace reporter.
2012 Independent 17 Mar. 11/1 Mr Smith's firecracker of a resignation letter.
b. A feisty, energetic, or hot-tempered person. Also: a lively and attractive person, esp. a woman; cf. cracker n. Additions.
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the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > [noun] > beautiful thing or person
fairnesseOE
roseOE
beautya1425
beauteous1435
lovelyc1450
beautifulness?1574
picturea1645
formosity1652
speciosity1660
vision1823
dream1837
jewel box1846
firecracker1852
beaut1896
the mind > emotion > excitement > excitability of temperament > impetuosity > [noun] > impetuous person
flumbardingc1300
young blood1557
hothead1584
hot-brain1605
warm head1684
ram-stam1823
hot-skull1835
firecracker1852
cowboy1885
the world > action or operation > manner of action > carelessness > incautiousness > [noun] > rashness or recklessness > rash or reckless person
bayard1393
hotspur1403
hare-brain1542
young blood1557
hare-copa1566
madcap1589
rashling1594
breakneck1598
harum-scarum1784
wild cat1812
devil-may-care1839
firecracker1852
ripper1877
wild-catter1883
1852 H. B. Stowe Uncle Tom's Cabin xxiii The boy is..a perfect fire-cracker when excited.
1957 W. Kelley Alabama Empire ix. 203 The pretty Mrs. Hibben was indeed a firecracker.
1958 B. Wilder & I. A. L. Diamond Some like it Hot (film script) (O.E.D. Archive) 109 Jerry. You know something, Mr. Fielding? You're dynamite! Osgood. You're a pretty hot little firecracker yourself.
1973 Men's Wear 13 July 78/3 Mr. Jim—he's a firecracker. He's on top of the piece goods market as well as any man in the business.
1980 D. D. Burns Feeling Good vii. 140 You are a true anger champion... You may have the reputation of a firecracker or a hothead among people you know.
2003 Marie Claire Dec. 149/1 McCrory's roles over the past decade have ranged from sexy firecrackers like Anna Karenina to characters who..look dog-rough.
Compounds
C1. General attributive (in sense 2).In quot. 1860 as part of an extended metaphor.
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1860 World (N.Y.) 28 Dec. 5/6 We should either take him in his firecracker manifestation and touch him off or give him up as a lost case.
1920 Morning Press (Escanaba, Mich.) 1 Aug. 7/1 Evers is not counted on as the 1921 manager... John's firecracker temper prevents it.
1939 W. Saroyan Time of Your Life i. 41 Not more than half a minute after the firecracker arrival of Dudley R. Bostwick, occurs the polka-and-waltz arrival of Harry.
1990 F. Kermode in C. James May Week was in June (verso rear cover) James..is a conceited writer.., every line propelled by a firecracker witticism.
2015 Austin (Texas) Amer.-Statesman (Nexis) 31 May b4 He was a cute fighter pilot with a firecracker personality.
C2.
firecracker flower n. either of two widely cultivated ornamental plants: (a) the North American Dichelostemma ida-maia (formerly Brodiaea coccinea) (family Asparagaceae), native to California, with clusters of red and white lily-like flowers (also called vegetable firecracker); (b) the tropical Crossandra infundibuliformis (family Acanthaceae), native to South Asia, with colourful flowers and seed pods which may burst in wet or humid conditions.
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1879 Vick's Monthly Mag. Feb. 55/2 The flower described by our correspondent is one of the most curious and interesting of California plants, and is called Fire Cracker Flower, but its true name is Brodiaea coccinea.
1940 Amer. Midland Naturalist 24 476 This very showy species [sc. D. Ida-maia], to which is frequently applied the appropriate common name ‘Firecracker Flower’, is restricted in distribution.
1978 W. B. Murphy Gardening under Lights v. 99 Crossandra. C. infundibuliformis, also called C. undulaefolia (firecracker flower).
2005 B. J. Euser in B. J. Euser Bay Area Gardening iv. 67 Dichelostemmas include the firecracker flower, D. ida-maia, an eye-catching cluster of red and green flowers which may grow up to three feet high.
2009 N. Winter Captivating Combinations 50 (caption) The firecracker flower is related to the Mexican petunia and produces striking nonstop blooms on spikes topping glossy leaves.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1650