torpedo

Everyday

1. A torpedo is a long, cigar-shaped weapon that moves underwater by itself and explodes when it hits a ship. tree →
2. To torpedo a ship is to hit it with a torpedo. tree →
3. To torpedo a plan (informal) is to ruin it completely. tree →
4. A torpedo ray is a fish that can give an electric shock. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons it comes up in both World Wars, with submarines and ships such as the Lusitania. In everyday talk, torpedoing a plan means wrecking it. Phrases: fire a torpedo, torpedo boat, torpedo a plan.

Examples

• The submarine fired a torpedo at the warship. tree →
• The ship was torpedoed in 1915. tree →
• The rain torpedoed our picnic plans. tree →
• Torpedoes travel just under the water's surface. tree →
• The dolphin shot through the water like a torpedo. tree →
• The torpedo ray stuns small fish with electricity. tree →
• Dey tells me dat it goes off like one er deze yer torpedoes." tree →

Note

Plural: torpedoes (with -es). Past: torpedoed. The informal sense (to ruin) is common in news.