bomber

IPA/ˈbɒmə(r)/
KK[bˈɑmɚ]IPA/ˈbɑːmər/

bomber — noun

  • bombersingular
  • bombersplural

1. someone who places or explodes bombs to hurt people or damage places

1.nounB2
Definition

someone who places or explodes bombs to hurt people or damage places

Example

Police said the bomber left the bag outside the train station.

the bomber left [object] outside [place]

Witnesses saw the bomber toss a bomb into a shop doorway.

the bomber + toss a bomb

Common collocations
  • suspected bomber
  • suicide bomber
  • identify the bomber
  • the bomber left a bag
Synonyms
  • attacker

    broader and not limited to explosives

  • terrorist

    usually suggests political aims or an attempt to create fear

  • assailant

    a formal word for a person who attacks someone

Grammar Patterns

the bomber left a bag

identify the bomber

suspected bomber

Usage Note

Often appears after words such as suspected, suicide, or convicted. Distinguish from bomb-maker, which can mean a person who makes bombs without planting or using them.

Common Mistakes

The police caught the bomb near the station.
The police caught the bomber near the station.
bomb is the object; bomber is the person.

2. a military plane made to carry bombs and drop them on a target

2.nounC2
Definition

a military plane made to carry bombs and drop them on a target

Example

The old bomber flew low before dropping bombs on the practice range.

an old bomber

Museum visitors climbed into a bomber from the Second World War.

a bomber from the Second World War

Common collocations
  • strategic bomber
  • heavy bomber
  • old bomber
  • fly a bomber
Synonyms
  • warplane

    broader because it includes many kinds of military aircraft

  • military aircraft

    formal and general, not specifically for dropping bombs

  • bomber plane

    a fuller phrase with the same basic meaning

Grammar Patterns

a bomber dropped bombs

fly a bomber

an old bomber

Usage Note

Usually refers to a military aircraft, not an ordinary passenger plane. Common nearby words include old, heavy, strategic, and long-range.

Common Mistakes

A bomber carried tourists to Paris.
A passenger plane carried tourists to Paris.
bomber refers to a military aircraft for dropping bombs.

3. a large bottle of beer, usually holding about 650 millilitres

3.noun
Definition

a large bottle of beer, usually holding about 650 millilitres

Example

Ravi brought a bomber of local beer to the beach picnic.

a bomber of [beer]

The shop sold single cans and one cold bomber by the door.

one cold bomber

Common collocations
  • a bomber of beer
  • cold bomber
  • split a bomber
  • buy a bomber
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

a bomber of beer

split a bomber

buy a bomber

Usage Note

Used in beer sales and bar talk in the US. It names a bottle size, so it is not normally used for water, juice, or other drinks.

Common Mistakes

He bought a bomber of water.
He bought a large bottle of water.
bomber is used for a large beer bottle, not for any drink bottle.

4. a short casual jacket in the style first worn by air force crews

4.noun
Definition

a short casual jacket in the style first worn by air force crews

Example

Una wore a black bomber over a white T-shirt.

short form: bomber = bomber jacket

The shop window showed a green bomber beside winter coats.

a green bomber

Common collocations
  • black bomber
  • green bomber
  • wear a bomber
  • bomber with a zip
Synonyms
  • bomber jacket

    the full and most usual form

  • flight jacket

    close in style, though it can refer to a wider range of pilot jackets

  • jacket

    much broader and does not show this specific style

Grammar Patterns

wear a bomber

a black bomber

buy a bomber

Usage Note

Common in clothing and fashion talk as a short form of bomber jacket. Distinguish from sense 2, which names an aircraft.

Common Mistakes

I bought a bomber plane at the clothes shop.
I bought a bomber jacket at the clothes shop.
in clothing, bomber is short for bomber jacket.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For sense 1, bomber is specific: the person uses bombs. Attacker is much broader and can describe any violent act, from hitting someone to using a gun or knife. Terrorist is narrower in one way and broader in another: it often suggests a political or social aim and an attempt to spread fear, but the person may use methods other than bombs. Arsonist is different because the crime involves setting fires, not explosives. In news reports, police may first say attacker if the method is unclear, then bomber after they find explosive materials. If a person burns a building, arsonist is the better word.

bomber ↗attacker ↗terrorist ↗arsonist ↗

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

Bomber was formed in English from bomb and the ending -er, which is often used for a person or thing that does an action. The word bomb came into English through French. Later, bomber was extended from the person sense to a plane that carries bombs, and then to the short jacket linked with bomber crews.