gelignite
/ˈdʒɛlɪɡnʌɪt
/noun [mass noun]
A high explosive made from a gel of nitroglycerine and nitrocellulose in a base of wood pulp and sodium or potassium nitrate, used particularly for rock-blasting.The suitcase contained chlorate of potash and paraffin wax, which was mixed with gelignite to form an explosive compound....
- In 1983, nine sticks of gelignite, 25 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, three detonators and an igniter were found in an electrical sub-station inside the boundary fence.
- However, he was finding it much more difficult than he had anticipated - the architects had designed the building to be bomb-proof, and he had already used about 22 lb of gelignite in an attempt to bring it down.
Origin
Late 19th century: probably from gelatin + Latin (l)ignis 'wood' + -ite1.