bombardbom‧bard /bɒmˈbɑːd $ bɑːmˈbɑːrd/ ●○○ verb [transitive] 
Word Origin Examples
I had been in action, bombarding the Normandy coast.► see thesaurus at shoot2to do something too often or too much, for example criticizing or questioning someone, or giving too much information: The office was bombarded by telephone calls.bombard somebody with something They bombarded him with questions. Today we are bombarded with advice on what to eat and what to avoid.
Word OriginWORD ORIGINbombard
Verb TableOrigin:
1400-1500 French bombarder, from bombarde ‘large gun’, probably from Latin bombus; ➔ BOMB1VERB TABLE
bombard
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | bombard |
| he, she, it | bombards | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | bombarded |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have bombarded |
| he, she, it | has bombarded | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had bombarded |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will bombard |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have bombarded |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am bombarding |
| he, she, it | is bombarding | |
| you, we, they | are bombarding | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was bombarding |
| you, we, they | were bombarding | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been bombarding |
| he, she, it | has been bombarding | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been bombarding |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be bombarding |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been bombarding |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- Cromwell's men had been bombarding the fort with their artillery for several days.
- My brothers bombarded me with snowballs as soon as I stepped out of the house.
- Rockets bombarded residential areas of the Afghan capital Friday.
- The allied forces bombarded the enemy trenches for weeks.
- When the police tried to advance they were bombarded with petrol bombs.
- Local sheriffs have been bombarded with mail and phone calls from his supporters demanding his release.
- Overprotective parents may bombard their young children with messages that reinforce their lack of mastery.
- Part of this problem stems from all the propaganda they bombard you with when you buy a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
- Seniors are bombarded with advertisements, phone calls and door-to-door salespeople insisting that living trusts work best for everyone.
- The public is being bombarded with contradictory information about the new tax from all sides.
- The strategy raises the prospect of voters with mobile phones being bombarded with election slogans from all parties.
- They had been bombarded to their knees.
- When it is bombarded with red light, it undergoes a photochemical reaction.
THESAURUS► shoot
Collocations verb [intransitive, transitive] to use a gun to fire bullets, or to kill or injure someone using a gun: · He ordered his men to stop shooting.· The guards shot the man as he was trying to escape.· President Kennedy was shot by a lone gunman.
► fire verb [intransitive, transitive] to shoot bullets from a gun, or send an explosive object towards someone or something: · Soldiers fired into the crowd.· Helicopters fired rockets at several buildings.· He regained his balance, took aim, and fired.· The police fired into the air to make the crowd break up.· As soon as we crossed the border, enemy troops started firing at us.· Kendrick fired three shots at the president’s car.· Suddenly the car stopped, and the passenger got out and fired a Kalashnikov rifle at the police car.
► launch verb [transitive] to send a large rocket or missile into the air: · American warships launched cruise missiles.· The guerrillas launched their rockets from densely populated towns.
► open fire to start shooting: · Nineteen students were injured after a gunman opened fire.· Troops opened fire on a group of unarmed demonstrators.· The colonel gave the order for the soldiers to open fire.
► shell verb [transitive] to fire shells (=metal containers filled with an explosive substance) at enemy soldiers, cities etc in a war, using large guns: · Border towns have been shelled by enemy aircraft for the past two months.· British warships began shelling German positions along the coast.
► bombard verb [transitive] to attack a place for a long time with shells or bombs: · Allied forces bombarded the coast prior to the invasion.· Troops bombarded the area with shells.· The allied forces bombarded the enemy trenches for weeks.· Cromwell’s men had been bombarding the fort with their artillery for several days.
► take a potshot at somebody/something to shoot at someone or something without aiming very carefully: · Someone tried to take a potshot at him, but hit the man behind instead.
Longman Language Activatorto fire a gun or other weapon► shoot to point a gun towards someone or something, and make bullets come out of it in order to kill or injure them: · If you move, I'll shoot.· Make sure you hold the gun steady and shoot straight.shoot at: · Armed robbers who shot at a security guard are still being hunted by police. · We used to shoot at empty bottles for practice.shoot to kill (=in order to kill someone): · The Defence Minister had ordered troops to shoot to kill if attacked.
► fire to make bullets come out of a gun, or send an explosive object towards someone or something: · He regained his balance, took aim, and fired.fire into: · The police fired into the air to make the crowd break up.fire at: · As soon as we crossed the border, enemy troops started firing at us.fire a shot/bullet/round: · Kendrick fired three shots at the President's car.fire a gun/weapon/pistol etc: · Suddenly the car stopped, and the passenger got out and fired a Kalashnikov rifle at the police car.
► open fire to start shooting: · The colonel gave the order for the soldiers to open fire.open fire on: · Troops opened fire on a group of unarmed demonstrators in the city centre.
► take a shot at to shoot once at someone or something, hoping to hit them: · Agent Cooper stood back and took a shot at the lock on the door.· The police claim that someone took a shot at them, and they had to withdraw for their own safety.
► take a potshot at to shoot at someone or something, especially from far away, without aiming carefully: · A bird flew out of the tree and Harry took a potshot at it.· Somebody was taking potshots at us from behind the bushes.
► shell to shoot at enemy soldiers, cities etc in a war, using large guns that can shoot from long distances: · British warships began shelling German positions along the coast.· Border towns have been shelled by enemy aircraft for the past two months.
► bombard to shoot at a place using a lot of large guns all firing at the same time: · The allied forces bombarded the enemy trenches for weeks.bombard somebody/something with something: · Cromwell's men had been bombarding the fort with their artillery for several days.
to attack someone by throwing things at them► pelt: pelt somebody with something · The boys sat in the back of the class, pelting each other with pieces of rolled up paper.· When the Vice-president toured the area in 1958 he was pelted with rotten eggs by angry farmers.pelt something at somebody · Demonstrators were pelting rocks and bottles at police.
► stone to throw stones at someone or something, in order to injure or damage them: · During the riot the mob started stoning the British embassy.stone somebody to death (=throw stones at them until they are killed, especially as a punishment): · The thieves were caught and sentenced to be stoned to death.
► bombard to attack someone by throwing large numbers of things at them at the same time: bombard somebody with something: · My brothers bombarded me with snowballs as soon as I stepped out of the house.· When the police tried to advance they were bombarded with petrol bombs.
WORD SETS► Militaryaction stations, nounaide-de-camp, nounairborne, adjectiveaircraft carrier, nounairlift, nounallied, adjectivearmour, nounarms control, nounarms race, nounarray, verbassault course, nounAWOL, adjectivebalance of power, nounbandmaster, nounbandsman, nounbase, nounbattle, nounbattle, verbbattle cry, nounbattlefield, nounbattlements, nounbeachhead, nounbivouac, nounblackout, nounblast, verbblitz, nounblockade, nounblockade, verbblockhouse, nounbloodshed, nounbody bag, nounbody count, nounbomb, verbbombard, verbbombardment, nounbomb disposal, nounboot camp, nounbowman, nounbreastplate, nounbridgehead, nounbunker, nouncall-up, nouncannonade, nouncapability, nouncaptain, nouncapture, nouncarrier, nouncashier, verbcenotaph, nounchief of staff, nouncitation, nouncivil defence, nounC.O., nouncommand, nouncommand, verbcommandant, nouncommander, nouncommander in chief, nouncommand post, nouncommissariat, nouncommissary, nouncommission, nouncommissioned officer, nounconquer, verbconquest, nounconscientious objector, nounconscript, verbconscript, nounconscription, nounconvoy, verbcookhouse, nounCorp., corporal, nouncorps, nouncounterinsurgency, nouncounterintelligence, nouncountermand, verbcounter-revolution, nouncourt-martial, nouncourt-martial, verbcross, noundawn raid, noundeath camp, noundemilitarize, verbdemobilize, verbdeploy, verbdetonate, verbdisarm, verbdisarmament, noundispatch, noundraft board, noundraft card, noundraft dodger, noundraftee, noundress uniform, noundrum major, noundump, nounechelon, nounencamp, verbenemy, nounengage, verbengagement, nounenlist, verbenlisted, adjectiveexchange, nounex-serviceman, nounex-servicewoman, nounfield, verbfirst lieutenant, nounfirst strike, nounflak jacket, nounflash, nounfort, nounfortress, nounfoxhole, nounFPO, front, noungas mask, noungeneral headquarters, nounGHQ, nounguardhouse, nounheadquarters, nounhigh command, nounHQ, nounincursion, nounindefensible, adjectiveinsignia, nouninstallation, nouninsubordination, nounintelligence, nouninternment, nouninvade, verbinvader, nouninvasion, nounkit bag, nounKP, nounlieutenant, nounline, nounMaj., major, nounmajor general, nounman, nounmarch, verbmarch, nounmarch-past, nounmarshal, nounmassacre, nounmassacre, verbmess, nounmess, verbmilitarism, nounmilitarized, adjectiveMilitary Academy, nounMilitary Cross, nounmilitary service, nounmilitia, nounmilitiaman, nounminuteman, nounmission, nounMP, nounmutineer, nounmutinous, adjectivemutiny, nounnational service, nounNATO, nounNCO, nounno-man's-land, nounnon-aggression, nounnon-aligned, adjectivenon-combatant, nounobjective, nounobservation post, nounoccupation, nounoccupy, verboffence, nounoffensive, adjectiveoffensive, nounofficer, nounoperation, nounorderly, nounoutflank, verboutpost, nounoverthrow, verboverwhelm, verbpact, nounpadre, nounparade, nounparamilitary, adjectiveparapet, nounpartisan, nounpassword, nounpatrol, nounperilous, adjectiveperiscope, nounpillbox, nounpincer movement, nounpost, verbPOW, nounpre-war, adjectiveprisoner, nounprisoner of war, nounPurple Heart, nounpush, nounputsch, nounPX, nounquarter, verbquartermaster, nounquell, verbR & R, nounraid, nounraid, verbrank, nounrebellion, nounrecapture, verbreconnaissance, nounreconnoitre, verbrecruit, verbrecruit, nounreinforce, verbrelieve, verbRemembrance Day, nounrepel, verbrequisition, verbretake, verbretire, verbretreat, verbretreat, nounreview, nounreview, verbribbon, nounsabre-rattling, nounsally, nounsalute, verbsalute, nounsalvo, nounsamurai, nounscorched earth policy, nounscout, nounscout, verbscramble, verbsecond lieutenant, nounsentinel, nounsentry, nounsentry box, nounsergeant, nounsergeant major, nounserviceman, nounservicewoman, nounSgt., shell, verbshelling, nounsiege, nounskirmish, nounstaff officer, nounstaging area, nounstandard-issue, adjectivestar, nounstation, nounstation, verbstrategic, adjectivestrategist, nounstrategy, nounstripe, nounstronghold, nounsuperpower, nounsuppress, verbsurgical strike, nounsurrender, verbsurrender, nountactical, adjectivetarget, nountarget, verbtask force, nountattoo, nountheatre, nountrench warfare, nountripwire, nountruce, nounturret, noununarmed, adjectiveunoccupied, adjectivevalour, nounveteran, nounvolunteer, nounvolunteer, verbwar chest, nounwar crime, nounwar cry, nounwar dance, nounwar effort, nounwarfare, nounwarhorse, nounwarlike, adjectivewarlord, nounwar memorial, nounwarmonger, nounwarrant officer, nounwarring, adjectivewarrior, nounwar-torn, adjectivewar widow, nounwar zone, nounwounded, adjectivezero hour, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► bombard somebody with questions
1to attack a place for a long time using large weapons, bombs etc: (=ask someone a lot of questions)· They bombarded him with questions about the case.
I had been in action, bombarding the Normandy coast.► see thesaurus at shoot2to do something too often or too much, for example criticizing or questioning someone, or giving too much information: The office was bombarded by telephone calls.bombard somebody with something They bombarded him with questions. Today we are bombarded with advice on what to eat and what to avoid.