Torpedo

8 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  marine mine \ma*rine" mine`\, n. (Mil.)
     A military explosive device designed to be placed on or under
     the surface of a body of water, and to explode when ships
     pass nearby or come in contact with it. Its function is to
     destroy enemy ships or deny hostile naval forces access to
     certain areas of the sea, usually near the shoreline. Also


     called {underwater mine} and {floating mine}, and previously
     referred to as a {torpedo} (See {torpedo}[2]
     (a) ).
         [PJC]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Mine \Mine\, n. [F., fr. LL. mina. See {Mine}, v. i.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. A subterranean cavity or passage; especially:
        (a) A pit or excavation in the earth, from which metallic
            ores, precious stones, coal, or other mineral
            substances are taken by digging; -- distinguished from
            the pits from which stones for architectural purposes
            are taken, and which are called quarries.
        (b) (Mil.) A cavity or tunnel made under a fortification
            or other work, for the purpose of blowing up the
            superstructure with some explosive agent.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Any place where ore, metals, or precious stones are got by
        digging or washing the soil; as, a placer mine.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Fig.): A rich source of wealth or other good. --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Mil.) An explosive device placed concealed in a location,
        on land or at sea, where an enemy vehicle or enemy
        personnel may pass through, having a triggering mechanism
        which detects people or vehicles, and which will explode
        and kill or maim personnel or destroy or damage vehicles.
        A mine placed at sea (formerly called a {torpedo}, see
        {torpedo}[2]
        (a) ) is also called an marine mine and underwater mine
            and sometimes called a floating mine, even though it
            may be anchored to the floor of the sea and not
            actually float freely. A mine placed on land (formerly
            called a {torpedo}, see {torpedo}[3]), usually buried,
            is called a land mine.
            [PJC]
  
     {Mine dial}, a form of magnetic compass used by miners.
  
     {Mine pig}, pig iron made wholly from ore; in distinction
        from {cinder pig}, which is made from ore mixed with forge
        or mill cinder.
  
     {gold mine}
        (a) a mine where gold is obtained.
        (b) (Fig.) a rich source of wealth or other good; same as
            {Mine} 3. --Raymond.
            [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Torpedo \Tor*pe"do\, n.; pl. {Torpedoes}. [L. torpedo, -inis,
     from torpere to be stiff, numb, or torpid. See {Torpid}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of elasmobranch fishes
        belonging to {Torpedo} and allied genera. They are related
        to the rays, but have the power of giving electrical
        shocks. Called also {crampfish}, and {numbfish}. See
        {Electrical fish}, under {Electrical}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The common European torpedo ({Torpedo vulgaris}) and
           the American species ({Torpedo occidentalis}) are the
           best known.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. An engine or machine for destroying ships by blowing them
        up; a mine[4]. Specifically: 
        [1913 Webster +PJC]
        (a) A quantity of explosives anchored in a channel,
            beneath the water, or set adrift in a current, and so
            designed that they will explode when touched or
            approached by a vessel, or when an electric circuit is
            closed by an operator on shore; now called {marine
            mine}. [obsolete]
            [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
                  Damn the torpedoes -- full speed ahead! --Adm.
                                                    David Glasgow
                                                    Farragut (At
                                                    the battle of
                                                    Mobile Bay,
                                                    1864).
        (b) A kind of small submarine boat carrying an explosive
            charge, and projected from a ship against another ship
            at a distance, or made self-propelling, and otherwise
            automatic in its action against a distant ship.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Mil.) A kind of shell or cartridge buried in earth, to be
        exploded by electricity or by stepping on it; now called
        {land mine}. [obsolete]
        [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     4. (Railroad) A kind of detonating cartridge or shell placed
        on a rail, and exploded when crushed under the locomotive
        wheels, -- used as an alarm signal.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. An explosive cartridge or shell lowered or dropped into a
        bored oil well, and there exploded, to clear the well of
        obstructions or to open communication with a source of
        supply of oil.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. A kind of firework in the form of a small ball, or pellet,
        which explodes when thrown upon a hard object.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     7. An automobile with a {torpedo body}. [Archaic Cant]
        [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]
  
     {Fish torpedo}, a spindle-shaped, or fish-shaped,
        self-propelling submarine torpedo.
  
     {Spar torpedo}, a canister or other vessel containing an
        explosive charge, and attached to the end of a long spar
        which projects from a ship or boat and is thrust against
        an enemy's ship, exploding the torpedo.
  
     {Torpedo boat}, a vessel adapted for carrying, launching,
        operating, or otherwise making use of, torpedoes against
        an enemy's ship., especially, a small, fast boat with
        tubes for launching torpedoes.
  
     {Torpedo nettings}, nettings made of chains or bars, which
        can be suspended around a vessel and allowed to sink
        beneath the surface of the water, as a protection against
        torpedoes.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Torpedo \Tor*pe"do\, v. t.
     1. to destroy by, or subject to the action of, a torpedo.
        --London Spectator.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. [Fig.] To destroy, cause to halt, or prevent from being
        accomplished; -- used esp. with reference to a plan or an
        enterprise, halted by some action before the plan is put
        into execution.
        [PJC]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  hit man \hit man\ n.
     1. A professional murderer, esp. one working for a criminal
        organization; also called {torpedo}. [Colloq.]
        [PJC]
  
     2. A slanderer working for political purposes to damage the
        reputation of an opponent; a {hatchet man}.
        [PJC]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Electric \E*lec"tric\ ([-e]*l[e^]k"tr[i^]k), Electrical
  \E*lec"tric*al\ ([-e]*l[e^]k"tr[i^]*kal), a. [L. electrum amber,
     a mixed metal, Gr. 'h`lektron; akin to 'hle`ktwr the beaming
     sun, cf. Skr. arc to beam, shine: cf. F. ['e]lectrique. The
     name came from the production of electricity by the friction
     of amber.]
     1. Pertaining to electricity; consisting of, containing,
        derived from, or produced by, electricity; as, electric
        power or virtue; an electric jar; electric effects; an
        electric spark; an electric charge; an electric current;
        an electrical engineer.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Capable of occasioning the phenomena of electricity; as,
        an electric or electrical machine or substance; an
        electric generator.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Electrifying; thrilling; magnetic. "Electric Pindar."
        --Mrs. Browning.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. powered by electricity; as, electrical appliances; an
        electric toothbrush; an electric automobile.
        [WordNet 1.5]
  
     {Electric atmosphere}, or {Electric aura}. See under {Aura}.
        
  
     {Electrical battery}. See {Battery}.
  
     {Electrical brush}. See under {Brush}.
  
     {Electric cable}. See {Telegraph cable}, under {Telegraph}.
        
  
     {Electric candle}. See under {Candle}.
  
     {Electric cat} (Zo["o]l.), one of three or more large species
        of African catfish of the genus {Malapterurus} (esp. {M.
        electricus} of the Nile). They have a large electrical
        organ and are able to give powerful shocks; -- called also
        {sheathfish}.
  
     {Electric clock}. See under {Clock}, and see
        {Electro-chronograph}.
  
     {Electric current}, a current or stream of electricity
        traversing a closed circuit formed of conducting
        substances, or passing by means of conductors from one
        body to another which is in a different electrical state.
        
  
     {Electric eel}, or {Electrical eel} (Zo["o]l.), a South
        American eel-like fresh-water fish of the genus {Gymnotus}
        ({G. electricus}), from two to five feet in length,
        capable of giving a violent electric shock. See
        {Gymnotus}.
  
     {Electrical fish} (Zo["o]l.), any fish which has an
        electrical organ by means of which it can give an
        electrical shock. The best known kinds are the {torpedo},
        the {gymnotus}, or {electrical eel}, and the {electric
        cat}. See {Torpedo}, and {Gymnotus}.
  
     {Electric fluid}, the supposed matter of electricity;
        lightning. [archaic]
  
     {Electrical image} (Elec.), a collection of electrical points
        regarded as forming, by an analogy with optical phenomena,
        an image of certain other electrical points, and used in
        the solution of electrical problems. --Sir W. Thomson.
  
     {Electric machine}, or {Electrical machine}, an apparatus for
        generating, collecting, or exciting, electricity, as by
        friction.
  
     {Electric motor}. See {Electro-motor}, 2.
  
     {Electric osmose}. (Physics) See under {Osmose}.
  
     {Electric pen}, a hand pen for making perforated stencils for
        multiplying writings. It has a puncturing needle driven at
        great speed by a very small magneto-electric engine on the
        penhandle.
  
     {Electric railway}, a railway in which the machinery for
        moving the cars is driven by an electric current.
  
     {Electric ray} (Zo["o]l.), the torpedo.
  
     {Electric telegraph}. See {Telegraph}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  torpedo
       n 1: a professional killer who uses a gun [syn: {gunman}, {gunslinger},
             {hired gun}, {gun}, {gun for hire}, {triggerman}, {hit
            man}, {hitman}, {shooter}]
       2: a large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise
          and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and
          lettuce and condiments); different names are used in
          different sections of the United States [syn: {bomber}, {grinder},
           {hero}, {hero sandwich}, {hoagie}, {hoagy}, {Cuban
          sandwich}, {Italian sandwich}, {poor boy}, {sub}, {submarine},
           {submarine sandwich}, {wedge}, {zep}]
       3: an explosive device that is set off in an oil well (or a gas
          well) to start or to increase the flow of oil (or gas)
       4: a small firework that consists of a percussion cap and some
          gravel wrapped in paper; explodes when thrown forcefully
          against a hard surface
       5: a small explosive device that is placed on a railroad track
          and fires when a train runs over it; the sound of the
          explosion warns the engineer of danger ahead
       6: armament consisting of a long cylindrical self-propelled
          underwater projectile that detonates on contact with a
          target
       7: any sluggish bottom-dwelling ray of the order
          Torpediniformes having a rounded body and electric organs
          on each side of the head capable of emitting strong
          electric discharges [syn: {electric ray}, {crampfish}, {numbfish}]
       v : attack or hit with torpedoes
       [also: {torpedoes} (pl)]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  152 Moby Thesaurus words for "torpedo":
     Cain, Irish confetti, KO, aerial torpedo, aim at, apache, assassin,
     assassinator, atomic warhead, bangalore torpedo, barrage, bird,
     blast, blitz, bloodletter, bloodshedder, bola, bolt, bombard,
     boomerang, bravo, brickbat, bruiser, burker, butcher, button man,
     cannibal, cannon, cannonade, charge, cock, commence firing, cook,
     countermissile, cutthroat, defeat, desperado, detonate, discharge,
     dish, do for, do in, drop, eject, enfilade, eradicator,
     executioner, exterminator, fell, fire, fire a volley, fire at,
     fire off, fire upon, fix, fusillade, garroter, goon, gorilla,
     guided missile, gun, gun for, gunman, gunsel, gunslinger,
     hatchet man, head-hunter, hellion, hit, hit man, holy terror,
     homicidal maniac, homicide, homing torpedo, hood, hoodlum,
     hooligan, killer, knock out, let fly, let off, load, man-eater,
     man-killer, manslayer, massacrer, matador, missile, mortar, mug,
     mugger, murderer, muscle man, nuclear warhead, open fire,
     open up on, payload, pelt, pepper, pesticide, pick off, pistol,
     plug, plug-ugly, poison, poisoner, pop at, pot, potshoot, potshot,
     prime, projectile, rake, riddle, rock, rocket, rocket torpedo,
     rodman, roughneck, scuttle, settle, shell, shoot, shoot at,
     shoot down, sink, slaughterer, slayer, snipe, snipe at,
     spar torpedo, stone, strafe, strangler, strike, strong-arm man,
     submarine torpedo, take a potshot, take aim at, terror,
     thermonuclear warhead, throw stick, throwing-stick, thug, tough,
     trigger man, ugly customer, undo, waddy, war rocket, warhead,
     zero in on