| Main Entry: |
rocket |
| Part of Speech: |
noun |
| Definition: |
projectile |
Synonyms: |
ICBM, booster, firework, guided missile, intercontinental ballistic missile, missile, spacecraft, spaceship, torpedo,
weapon
|
| Notes: |
the term for a combustible or explosive or pyrotechnic ('pertaining to fire art') projectile was 'rocket' until fireworks was used in 1777 to describe these in connection with the first Fourth of July celebration. 'Rockets' are still the most popular form of firework. Rockets are lifted by recoil from the jet of fire created by the burning ingredients - and they are designed for maximum combustion and maximum thrust. Fireworks originated in ancient China. The word firecracker refers to those that make loud sounds and sparklers are those that send off a shower of sparks.
a missile is a whole vehicle ready for launching; a rocket is a type of engine that powers a missile |
