To burst or break apart suddenly and violently, often with a loud noise, because of pressure or a chemical reaction. It can also mean to increase very quickly or to show strong emotion suddenly.
From Latin *explodere* ‘to drive out by clapping’, originally used for actors driven off stage, from *ex-* (‘out’) and *plaudere* (‘to clap’). Over time it shifted from noisy rejection to any sudden, loud bursting.
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