Word of the Day : May 23, 2018

petard \puh-TAHRD\ noun

Definition

1 : a case containing an explosive to break down a door or gate or breach a wall

2 : a firework that explodes with a loud report

Did You Know?

Aside from historical references to siege warfare, and occasional contemporary references to fireworks, petard is almost always encountered in variations of the phrase "hoist with one's own petard," meaning "victimized or hurt by one's own scheme." The phrase comes from William Shakespeare's Hamlet: "For 'tis the sport to have the enginer / Hoist with his own petar." Hoist in this case is the past participle of the verb hoise, meaning "to lift or raise," and petar(d) refers to an explosive device used in siege warfare. Hamlet uses the example of the engineer (the person who sets the explosive device) being blown into the air by his own device as a metaphor for those who schemed against him being undone by their own schemes. The phrase has endured, even if its literal meaning has largely been forgotten.

Build your vocabulary! Get Word of the Day in your inbox every day.

Test Your Vocabulary



  May 2018 Words of the Day Quiz








    Which is a synonym of raillery?




                                  indiscretion
                                  aberration
                                  jesting
                                  debating








    Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!
    TAKE THE QUIZ






    Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
    TAKE THE QUIZ

Aired May 23, 2018

All Merriam-Webster content is available at www.merriam-webster.com