| Main Entry: |
fireworks
|
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | pyrotechnic display at celebrations |
| Synonyms: | Roman candles, bottle rockets, bursts, fire flowers, firecrackers, illuminations, rockets, sparklers |
| Notes: | the term for a combustible or explosive or pyrotechnic ('pertaining to fire art') projectile was 'rocket' until fireworks was used in 1777 to describe these in connection with the first Fourth of July celebration. 'Rockets' are still the most popular form of firework. Rockets are lifted by recoil from the jet of fire created by the burning ingredients - and they are designed for maximum combustion and maximum thrust. Fireworks originated in ancient China. The word firecracker refers to those that make loud sounds and sparklers are those that send off a shower of sparks. |
| Main Entry: | dispute |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | argument |
| Synonyms: | altercation, beef, bickering, bone of contention, brawl, broil, brouhaha, commotion, conflict, contention, controversy, debate, difference of opinion, disagreement, discord, discussion, dissension, disturbance, embroilment, falling-out, feud, fireworks*, flare-up, fracas, friction, fuss, hubbub, miff, misunderstanding, polemic, quarrel, row, rumpus, squabble, squall, strife, tiff, uproar, variance, words, wrangle |
| Antonyms: | agreement |
| Main Entry: | exhibition |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | showing, demonstration |
| Synonyms: | a scene, advertisement, airing, an act, carnival, display, exhibit, expo, exposition, fair, fireworks, flash*, front*, manifestation, offering, pageant, performance, presentation, representation, show, sight, spectacle |
| Main Entry: | explosive |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | something that blows up |
| Synonyms: | TNT, ammunition, bomb, booby trap, charge, detonator, dynamite, fireworks, grease, grenade, gunpowder, mine, missile, mulligan, munition, nitroglycerin, pineapple, powder, propellant, shell, shot, soup |
| Main Entry: | hoopla |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | excitement |
| Synonyms: | action, activity, brouhaha, bustle, buzz*, commotion, drama, elation, emotion, excitation, feeling, fever, fireworks*, flurry, frenzy, furor, fuss, heat*, hubbub, hullabaloo*, hysteria, passion, racket, rage, ruckus, rumpus, stir, thrill |
| Main Entry: | noise |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | sound that is loud or not harmonious |
| Synonyms: | babble, babel, bang, bedlam, bellow, bewailing, blare, blast, boisterousness, boom, buzz, cacophony, caterwauling, clamor, clang, clatter, commotion, crash, cry, detonation, din, discord, disquiet, disquietude, drumming, eruption, explosion, fanfare, fireworks, fracas*, fuss*, hoo-ha, hubbub, hullabaloo*, jangle, lamentation, outcry, pandemonium, peal, racket, ring, roar, row, shot, shouting, sonance, squawk, stridency, talk, thud, tumult, turbulence, uproar, uproariousness, yelling, yelp |
| Antonyms: | silence |
| Main Entry: | rage |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | extreme anger |
| Synonyms: | acerbity, acrimony, agitation, animosity, apoplexy, asperity, bitterness, blowup, bluster, choler, convulsion, dander, eruption, exasperation, excitement, explosion, ferment, ferocity, fireworks, frenzy, furor, fury, gall, heat*, hemorrhage, huff, hysterics, indignation, ire, irritation, madness, mania, obsession, outburst, paroxysm, passion, rampage, raving, resentment, spasm, spleen, squall, storm, tantrum, temper, umbrage, uproar, upset, vehemence, violence, wingding, wrath |
| Notes: | ire suggests greater intensity than anger, rage suggests loss of self-control, and fury is destructive rage verging on madness |
| Antonyms: | glee, happiness |
| Main Entry: | show |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | demonstration, exhibition |
| Synonyms: | appearance, array, display, expo, exposition, fair, fanfare, fireworks, grandstand, manifestation, occurrence, pageant, pageantry, panoply, parade, pomp, presentation, program, representation, shine*, showboat, showing, sight, spectacle, splash*, view |
| Notes: | in horse racing results, there is win, place, show, and also-ran |
| Antonyms: | concealment, hiding |
| Main Entry: | stimulus |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | provocation |
| Synonyms: | bang*, boost, catalyst, cause, charge, encouragement, eye-opener, fillip, fireworks*, flash*, goad, impetus, impulse, incentive, incitation, incitement, inducement, instigation, invitation, kick*, motivation, motive, piquing, propellant, push, shot in the arm, spur, stimulant, stimulation, sting*, turn-on, urging |
| Notes: | a stimulant is a drug; a stimulus is anything encouraging an action (but rarely is it a drug) |
| Antonyms: | discouragement, hindrance, tranquilizer |