ballistic
ballistic — adjective
- ballisticpositive
- more ballisticcomparative
- most ballisticsuperlative
1. relating to the branch of physics that studies how solid objects such as bullets
relating to the branch of physics that studies how solid objects such as bullets, rockets, or cannon shells travel through the air after being fired or launched.
A ballistic expert testified about the bullet's path during the murder trial.
collocation: ballistic expert
The police laboratory uses ballistic analysis to match bullets to specific weapons.
collocation: ballistic analysis
Ballistic data helped the investigators determine where the shooter was standing.
Yan spent three years studying ballistic engineering at the military academy.
The report included detailed ballistic calculations for the long-range missile test.
文法句型
ballistic + noun (expert, analysis, evidence, testing)
用法筆記
This is a technical sense used mainly in academic, military, or forensic contexts. It appears only before a noun, not after a linking verb.
2. describes a weapon, such as a missile or rocket, that receives power only at the
describes a weapon, such as a missile or rocket, that receives power only at the moment of launch and then follows a curving path to its target using nothing but gravity.
A ballistic missile launches into the sky and then falls back toward its target.
collocation: ballistic missile
The defence system can intercept incoming ballistic rockets before they reach land.
Unlike guided missiles, ballistic weapons cannot change direction after they have been launched.
Soraya's research focused on the re-entry phase of long-range ballistic projectiles.
The military tested a new ballistic shell capable of travelling over three hundred kilometres.
- unpowered (after launch)
describes the same lack of propulsion but is not used as a standard weapon classification
- guided
describes a missile that can change direction during flight
文法句型
ballistic + noun (missile, weapon, rocket, shell)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense refers specifically to the flight behaviour of weapons, not to the general science of projectiles. The object is typically a missile, rocket, or shell.
常見錯誤
3. to suddenly become extremely angry, often in a way that seems overwhelming or ou
to suddenly become extremely angry, often in a way that seems overwhelming or out of control.
Piotr went ballistic when he found out someone had scratched his new car.
fixed phrase: go ballistic
The football coach went ballistic after the referee awarded a penalty to the other team.
Nora's mother went ballistic when she saw muddy footprints across the clean kitchen floor.
Fans went ballistic when their team scored the winning goal in the final minute.
The boss went ballistic after discovering that the entire quarterly report was full of errors.
- explode (with anger)
similar intensity, also informal, focuses on the outburst itself rather than the trajectory
- lose one's temper
neutral register, less dramatic than 'go ballistic'
- fly off the handle
informal idiom, slightly dated in British English
- blow up (at someone)
informal, emphasises the angry reaction directed at another person
- stay calm
the direct opposite reaction
- keep one's cool
informal idiom meaning to remain composed under provocation
文法句型
go + ballistic
用法筆記
This sense is used almost exclusively in the fixed expression 'go ballistic'. It does NOT appear before a noun (e.g. 'a ballistic parent' is incorrect). The image is of a missile suddenly launching upward — hence the idea of a sudden, explosive loss of temper.