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Definition of "fulminate" [ful•mi•nate]

  • To issue a thunderous verbal attack or denunciation: fulminated against political chicanery. (verb-intransitive)
  • To explode or detonate. (verb-intransitive)
  • To issue (a denunciation, for example) thunderously. (verb-transitive)
  • To cause to explode. (verb-transitive)
  • An explosive salt of fulminic acid, especially fulminate of mercury. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "fulminate" in a sentence
  • "Mercury fulminate is very sensitive to shock, friction, and sparks."
  • "Not sure if you're being funny or not, but for those playing at home I will simply note that in modern usage "fulminate" usually means "criticize acidly" ..."
  • "He says the tube contains fulminate of mercury, and the word 'fulminate' means to flash like lightning. ""