petard

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See also pétard

[edit] English

From Middle French petarder, from petard.

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petard (plural petards)

(historical) A small, hat-shaped explosive device, used to blow a hole in a door or wall.
Anything potentially explosive, in a non-literal sense.
- (Can we date this quote?), Shakespeare, Hamlet
  
  For tis the sport to haue the enginer / Hoist with his owne petar
(now rare) A loud firecracker.

petard (third-person singular simple present petards, present participle petarding, simple past and past participle petarded)

(now rare, archaic) To attack or blow a hole in (something) with a petard.
- 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, I.56:
  
  The souldier, if he but goe to besiege a cottage, to scale a castle, to rob a church, to pettard [transl. petarder] a gate, to force a religious house, or any villanous act, before he attempt it praieth to God for his assistance, though his intents and hopes be full-fraught with crueltie, murther, covetise, luxurie, sacrilege, and all iniquitie.