explode-v; 4 Senses

Sense Number 1: detonate, set off, destroy by blowing to pieces

Commentary: Syntax Is: NP1 EXPLODE NP2[concrete]
NOTE: Compared to sense 3 the exploded object must be concrete.

Examples:
India has exploded a nuclear bomb and Israel is widely considered to have a number of them.
Fireworks exploded about 2 feet above the ground and ignited other pyrotechnics.
The building exploded and I jumped in a river that was close and held my breath.
They exploded the port-a-potty one more time using a candle as the pre-lit ignition source.

Mappings:
VerbNet: other_cos-45.4
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: explode.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1, 5, 9

Sense Number 2: ruin, refute, make obsolete

Commentary: Syntax Is: NP1 EXPLODE NP2[abstract]

Examples:
The argument collapsed, they exploded his latest theory.
Science has exploded the widely accepted theory that chastity
was incompatible with health.
Einstein, of course, had exploded Newton's idea of an absolute
time or standard of motion.
Above all, Singer exploded humankind's central claim to a special,
distinctive status.
They exploded the belief that periods of bad business were caused
by general overproduction.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 7, 8

Sense Number 3: burst forth, emit, overflow, rapidly and uncontrollably increase

Commentary:
NOTE: May include bursts of energy, sound, and emotion. May include metaphorical usages. May include a collection of entities (example: population). Compare carefully to sense 1: This sense does not include detonating, or destroying/blowing to pieces. Syntax Includes: NP1 EXPLODE IN NP2[abstract] NP1[abstract] EXPLODE (PP) (ADVP)

Examples:
We popped the cork and champagne exploded out of the bottle.
She looks like a box of crayons exploded all over her.
Cheers exploded throughout the auditorium.
The boss exploded when he heard of the resignation of the secretary.
Revolutionary advances in medicine were one of the reasons why population exploded.
Production exploded as the consumption of livestock and poultry products climbed.

Mappings:
VerbNet: calibratable_cos-45.6-1,sound_emission-43.2
FrameNet: Change_position_on_a_scale
PropBank: explode.02,explode.03
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 2, 3, 4, 6, 10

Sense Number 4: EXPLODE A BOMBSHELL: cause surprise by doing something unexpected.

Commentary: Is: EXPLODE A BOMBSHELL

Examples:
Father exploded a bombshell when he forbade us to go to the prom.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet Verb Particle Constructions, Multiword Expressions:
explode_a_bombshell 1