bomber
(ˈbɒmə(r))
[f. bomb n. or v. + -er1.]
1. One who throws a bomb; esp. in military use, one of a bombing party.
| 1915 J. Buchan Nelson's Hist. War V. 25 The bombers..seizing one of these rocket-like bombs from their belts..hurl them high above the parapet. 1927 Daily Tel. 8 Mar. 12/2 A fifth attempt to dynamite the Roman Catholic Church of S. Peter and Paul, San Francisco, ended yesterday in the killing of one bomber. |
2. An aircraft equipped with bombs for bombing an enemy, his positions, territory, etc.
| 1917 ‘Contact’ Airman's Outings 260 The fighters guard the bombers until the eggs are dropped. 1923 Daily Mail 19 Mar. 9 Goods-'planes—all capable of transformation into bombers. 1940 Times Weekly 27 Nov. 10/3 Our medium bombers were the first to arrive. 1941 Ibid. 30 July 7/1 For 27 hours on end we were subjected to continuous attacks from bombers—high level, dive and torpedo. 1956 A. H. Compton Atomic Quest 224 American bombers attacked..the power station. |
b. attrib. and
Comb., as
bomber aircraft,
bomber base,
bomber force;
Bomber Command, an organization of bomber aircraft forming part of the Royal Air Force.
| 1935 C. G. Burge Complete Bk. Aviation 193/1 Bomber aircraft. 1959 Listener 22 Jan. 156/1 American bomber bases. |
| 1939 Flight 7 Dec. 455/1 Bomber Command..pounces when a worthy objective is in sight. 1945 W. S. Churchill Victory (1946) 174 The glorious part..played by Bomber Command in forging the victory. |
| 1940 ― Into battle (1941) 231 We have a very large bomber force also. |
3. A marijuana cigarette.
U.S. slang.| 1952 Amer. Speech XXVII. 24 Bomber, giant-size marijuana cigarette. 1957 J. Kerouac On Road (1958) iv. v. 283 Victor proceeded to roll the biggest bomber anybody ever saw. |
b. slang. A barbiturate drug.
Cf. black bomber.
| 1962 K. Orvis Damned & Destroyed xiii. 87 Last year, eighteen tons..of barbiturates were sold in this country. Kids all over are going ga-ga over them. They call them goof-balls and bombers—and they hold bomber parties. 1966 ‘K. Nicholson’ Hook, Line & Sinker x. 116, I was planning to go back on bombers today. |
______________________________
Add:
[2.] [b.] bomber jacket n. [modelled on the flight jackets worn by
U.S.A.F. air-crew], a fashionable style of (
usu. leather) jacket, front-zippered and tightly gathered at the waist and cuffs.
| 1973 Daily News Record 16 Nov. 13 (Advt.), Wool plaid *bomber jacket..with rugged zipper front. 1985 Listener 2 May 5/2 There was the Intourist taxi driver in his Western trainers and Western bomber jacket. |