BOMB, [Latin bombus.] A great noise. 1. A large shell of cast iron, round and hollow, with a vent to receive a fusee, which is made of wood. This being filled with gunpowder and the fusee driven into the vent, the fusee is set on fire and the bomb is thrown from a mortar, in such a direction as to fall into a fort, city or enemy's camp, when it bursts with great violence and often with terrible effect. The inventor of bombs is not known; they came into common use about the year 1634. 2. The stroke upon a bell. BOMB, verb transitive To attack with bombs; to bombard. [Not used.] BOMB, verb intransitive To sound.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI