cherry bomb

noun

1. a red, globe-shaped firecracker with a long fuse and high explosive capability.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cherry bomb¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

“It’s maybe an M-80 or a cherry bomb, but the explosion wasn’t just like a firecracker or an M-80, it actually had some pyrotechnics to it, so it was fairly large.”

From Los Angeles Times

“This was not just a cherry bomb,” Thomas said.

From Washington Post

After the band finished one of her newer songs, a euphoric disco cherry bomb called Tomorrow, she carried on the chorus a capella, apparently having the time of her life.

From BBC

“It is unlikely, let me just be perfectly candid, that police can chase down every cherry bomb that pops up in the District of Columbia,” Bowser said.

From Washington Post

Social justice activist Bill Fletcher Jr called the proposed tactic a “cherry bomb” because it created noise, “while producing nothing but smoke”.

From The Guardian