Mills bomb

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Named after British inventor Sir William Mills (1856–1932).

Noun[edit]

Mills bomb (plural Mills bombs)

  1. Any of a series of British fragmentation hand grenades. [from 20th c.]
    • 1929, Frederic Manning, The Middle Parts of Fortune, Vintage, published 2014, page 10:
      They made a rush forward again, the dust and smoke clearing a little, and they heard the elastic twang of Mills bombs as they reached an empty trench, very narrow where shelling had not wrecked or levelled it.
    • 1974, GB Edwards, The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, New York, published 2007, page 118:
      He said when he pulled the pin out of the Mills bomb, he was always afraid it would go off before he got it out of his hand.

Further reading[edit]

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