bomber|ˈbɒmə(r)|[f.bombn.or v. + -er1.]1.One who throws a bomb; esp.in military use, one of a bombing party.1915J. BuchanNelson'sHist.War V. 25The bombers..seizing one of these rocket-like bombs from their belts..hurl them high above the parapet.
1927DailyTel.8 Mar. 12/2A fifth attempt to dynamite the Roman Catholic Church of S. Peter and Paul, San Francisco, ended yesterday in the killing of one bomber.
2.An aircraft equipped with bombs for bombing an enemy, his positions, territory, etc.1917‘Contact’Airman's Outings 260The fighters guard the bombers until the eggs are dropped.
1923Daily Mail 19 Mar. 9Goods-'planes—all capable of transformation into bombers.
1940Times Weekly 27 Nov. 10/3Our medium bombers were the first to arrive.
1941Ibid.30 July 7/1For 27 hours on end we were subjected to continuous attacks from bombers—high level, dive and torpedo.
1956A. H. ComptonAtomic Quest 224American bombers attacked..the power station.
b.attrib.and Comb., as bomber aircraft, bomber base, bomber force; Bomber Command, an organization of bomber aircraft forming part of the Royal Air Force.1935C. G. BurgeCompleteBk.Aviation 193/1Bomber aircraft.
1959Listener 22 Jan. 156/1American bomber bases.
1939Flight 7 Dec. 455/1Bomber Command..pounces when a worthy objective is in sight.
1945W. S. ChurchillVictory (1946) 174The glorious part..played by Bomber Command in forging the victory.
1940―Into battle (1941) 231We have a very large bomber force also.
3.A marijuana cigarette. U.S.slang.1952Amer.Speech XXVII. 24Bomber, giant-size marijuana cigarette.
1957J. KerouacOn Road (1958) iv. v. 283Victor proceeded to roll the biggest bomber anybody ever saw.
b.slang. A barbiturate drug.Cf.black bomber.1962K. OrvisDamned & Destroyed xiii. 87Last year, eighteen tons..of barbiturates were sold in this country. Kids all over are going ga-ga over them. They call them goof-balls and bombers—and they hold bomber parties.
1966‘K. Nicholson’Hook, Line & Sinker x. 116,I was planning to go back on bombers today.
Add:[2.][b.]bomber jacket n.[modelled on the flight jackets worn byU.S.A.F. air-crew], a fashionable style of (usu.leather) jacket, front-zippered and tightly gathered at the waist and cuffs.1973Daily News Record 16 Nov. 13 (Advt.),Wool plaid *bomber jacket..with rugged zipper front.
1985Listener 2 May 5/2There was the Intourist taxi driver in his Western trainers and Western bomber jacket.
