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detonate (v.)

1729, intransitive, "explode suddenly and loudly," a back-formation from detonation, or else from Latin detonatus, past participle of detonare. Transitive sense of "cause to explode" is by 1801. Related: Detonated; detonating.

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Definitions of detonate from WordNet

detonate (v.)
cause to burst with a violent release of energy;
Synonyms: explode / blow up / set off
detonate (v.)
burst and release energy as through a violent chemical or physical reaction;
the bomb detonated at noon
Synonyms: explode / blow up
From wordnet.princeton.edu