TIME BOMB

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does time bomb mean? 

• TIME BOMB (noun)
  The noun TIME BOMB has 2 senses:

1. a problematic situation that will eventually become dangerous if not addressed

2. a bomb that has a detonating mechanism that can be set to go off at a particular time

  Familiarity information: TIME BOMB used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TIME BOMB (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A problematic situation that will eventually become dangerous if not addressed

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

ticking bomb; time bomb

Context example:

the refugee camp is a ticking bomb waiting to go off

Hypernyms ("time bomb" is a kind of...):

situation (a complex or critical or unusual difficulty)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A bomb that has a detonating mechanism that can be set to go off at a particular time

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

infernal machine; time bomb

Hypernyms ("time bomb" is a kind of...):

bomb (an explosive device fused to explode under specific conditions)