bomb: [17] Bomb is ultimately of onomatopoeic origin, and can probably be traced back to Greek bómbos, a word for a booming or buzzing sound. This passed into Latin as bombus, the probable source of Italian bomba, which acquired more explosive connotations. English got the word via French bombe. The derivative bombard preceded bomb into English, in the 15th century. => bound
1580s, from French bombe, from Italian bomba, probably from Latin bombus "a deep, hollow noise; a buzzing or booming sound," from Greek bombos "deep and hollow sound," echoic. Originally of mortar shells, etc.; modern sense of "explosive device placed by hand or dropped from airplane" is 1909. Meaning "old car" is from 1953. Meaning "success" is from 1954 (late 1990s slang the bomb "the best" is probably a fresh formation); opposite sense of "a failure" is from 1963. The bomb "atomic bomb" is from 1945.
