Berlin was the tinderbox of Europe. tinderbox definition: 1. a dangerous and uncontrolled situation in which violence is likely to happen: 2. a dangerous…. tinderbox (n.) also tinder-box, "box in which tinder and flint are kept," 1520s, from tinder + box (n.); figurative sense of " 'inflammable' person or thing" is attested from 1590s. he cried to the dog, and hey, presto! Omar Sakr is an Arab-Australian poet. tinder box: Alternative spelling of tinderbox. ‘food riots were a potential tinderbox in the city’ ‘And, a three-year drought has turned forests and swamps to tinderboxes.’ ‘Everyone knew the stand was a … What does tinder-box mean? Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about tinderbox. [2], The charcloth was fabric made from vegetable fibre (e.g. [12], Container for fire-starting materials with flint, firesteel, and tinder, Methods of making fire, Oxford University, Native American use of fire in ecosystems, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tinderbox&oldid=1015981206, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 4 April 2021, at 18:38. For instance, a prison in which there is unrest and the potential for a riot could be said to be 'a tinderbox of violence'. • "The Tinderbox" was the subject of the first Danish animated feature film in 1946 directed by Svend Methling and animated by Børge Ring. ‘The Tinderbox’ is one of the fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen. Noun. n-count usu sing Translation English Cobuild Collins Dictionary The flint was sometimes chipped to provide a suitably sharp edge to obtain a spark and if necessary other hard stones, such as quartzite, chert or chalcedony could be substituted. Learn a new word every day. [6] The poorer people working in the fields would obtain a light by simply striking a flint on the back of a knife onto a piece of touch-paper that they carried in their pockets. The proper usage of the term is as an insult that sarcastically implies that somebody is 'fake tough'. noun. [6][7] A book from 1881[8] notes that in 1834 a magazine editor had predicted[9] that despite the advent of 'lucifers' (friction matches), the tinderbox would continue to be in general use in the household, but that in fact, by the time of writing, the tinderbox had become rare, expensive and was commonly seen only in museums of antiquities. Another book from 1889 describes such a tinderbox,[10] observing that the wear patterns on the flint were the same as those on ancient prehistoric flints in the collection. [4] With skill, a fire could be started in under a minute, but at other times it took longer and occasionally a tiny pinch of gunpowder was added to encourage the process. ‘the estate was a tinderbox where riots could explode at any moment’ ‘And, a three-year drought has turned forests and swamps to tinderboxes.’ ‘Everyone knew the stand was a bit of a tinderbox, but none actually thought it would go up.’ Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge! Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. [5], When away from home small pocket tinderboxes were often carried, sometimes set with a burning glass (a lens) in the lid to light the tinder directly from the sun's rays. 2. a person or thing that is highly excitable, explosive, inflammable, etc. tin‧der‧box /ˈtɪndəbɒks $ -dərbɑːks/ noun 1 [ countable usually singular] a place or situation that is dangerous and where there could suddenly be a lot of fighting or problems The area is a tinderbox … These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tinderbox.' Meaning and definitions of tinderbox, translation of tinderbox in Tamil language with similar and opposite words. See the full definition for tinderbox in the English Language Learners Dictionary, Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tinderbox, Nglish: Translation of tinderbox for Spanish Speakers. A tinderbox can also be a potentially dangerous situation or location. The splint could then be carried to a candle, often set in a holder on the top of the box, and finally the cloth would be extinguished with a damper to preserve it for further use. Send us feedback. What made you want to look up tinderbox? The shootings, with a 21-year-old man charged in each, ignited the familiar national, The trifecta of fatigue, winter weather and holiday travel that has led to more coronavirus transmission across the country hit here, too — and became the match that lit the, The unusual duration of critical fire weather, extremely dry vegetation and an even drier air mass has created a, Scientists blame warming for record-breaking temperatures, less dependable precipitation and reduced moisture in the air, factors that helped create a, In the week before Election Day, Pennsylvania has been a, Broadway veteran Leslie Goddard helms a candid comedy about who gets to make which hard choices in the, But this year, drought worsened by climate change turned the wetlands into a, Post the Definition of tinderbox to Facebook, Share the Definition of tinderbox on Twitter, Words We're Watching: (Figurative) 'Super-Spreader'. A tinderbox might also contain sulfur-tipped matches. This is a fairy-tale about a soldier who is rewarded when he outsmarts a witch and a king. Tinder box synonyms, Tinder box pronunciation, Tinder box translation, English dictionary definition of Tinder box. tinderbox (plural tinderboxes) A small container containing flint, steel, and tinder (dry, finely-divided fibrous matter), once … Dictionary entry overview: What does tinderbox mean? Meaning and Definition of tinder-box. he was off and back again, holding a great purse full of money in his mouth. As an example, Ötzi was found with tinder fungus along with flint and pyrite for creating sparks. A tinderbox, or patch box, is a container made of wood or metal containing flint, firesteel, and tinder (typically charcloth, but possibly a small quantity of dry, finely divided fibrous matter such as hemp), used together to help kindle a fire. Tinder definition, a highly flammable material or preparation formerly used for catching the spark from a flint and steel struck together for fire or light. the literal meaning of the word is a "box for holding tinder ", tinder being something combustible you use to start a fire. Adults only (21+) This website contains adult material and is only suitable for those 21 years or older. Referred to the crowded prison as a tinderbox of suppressed violence. situation - a complex or critical or unusual difficulty; "the dangerous situation developed suddenly"; "that's quite a situation"; "no human situation is simple". The sparks (actually pieces of burning steel broken off by the harder flint) created very small embers as they fell onto the charcloth, the glow of which, with some gentle blowing, would be enough to ignite a sulfur tipped wooden splint. The word ‘tinder' is normally used to refer to any material, like dry grass, wood, straw, etc. tinder-box meaning. 1. a dangerous state of affairs; a situation that is a potential source of violence 2. a box for holding tinder Familiarity information: TINDERBOX used as a noun is rare. It is also used to describe a potentially volatile or violent situation. Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary. a person or thing that is highly excitable, explosive, inflammable, etc. [5], The tinder pistol, based on the flintlock mechanism, was a more expensive alternative to the tinderbox and was in use in middle and upper class homes in the 18th century. tinder-box: A box in which tinder is kept ready for use, usually fitted with flint and steel, the steel being often secured to a lifting cover so that the flint, when struck against it, sends sparks upon the tinder … Jump to navigation Jump to search. 1 a : a metal box for holding tinder and usually a flint and steel for striking a spark. [1] This was simply a piece of carbon steel (it is difficult to obtain sparks with ordinary iron), which was usually wrought into a 'D' shape, or an oval ring, so that it could be conveniently looped around two or three fingers for striking. (noun) Noun . Tinderboxes fell out of general usage when friction matches were invented. Delivered to your inbox! Get me money!' tinderbox in American English. Definition of tinderbox. A tinderbox might also contain sulfur-tipped matches. Now the Soldier knew what a wonderful tinder-box this was. In the old days, every home had a tinderbox. 'What's the meaning of this?' a box for holding tinder, usually fitted with a flint and steel. “Tinderbox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tinderbox. ; a potential source of widespread violence. tinderbox - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. [6], In the 18th and early 19th century tinderboxes were in common use, but with the advent of John Walker's 'friction lights' in 1827, where a match could be struck by withdrawing it from a piece of folded glass paper, tinderboxes increasingly became obsolete. that can be used to start a fire quickly. Synonyms for tinderbox. All Free. A tinderbox, or patch box, is a container made of wood or metal containing flint, firesteel, and tinder (typically charcloth, but possibly a small quantity of dry, finely divided fibrous matter such as hemp), used together to help kindle a fire. 2 a time or state of affairs requiring prompt or decisive action. while the country's prime minister was meeting with the U.S. president, a political tinderbox was igniting at home. In the early 19th century a more efficient tinderbox was invented with a rotating metal wheel to create the sparks[4] and there were other more experimental devices available, such as the fire piston and the instantaneous light box. See more. Tinderbox definition: If you say that a situation is a tinderbox , you mean that it is very tense and something... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples 2021. The Tinder Box Lyrics: It all began with a single spark / The universe the world and me / That spark - it's still there, the source of living things / The source of this eternity / I saw the little The story talks about the exploits of a solider and how with the help of a tinderbox is able … Tags for the entry "tinderbox" What tinderbox means in Tamil, tinderbox meaning in Tamil, tinderbox definition, explanation, pronunciations and examples of tinderbox in Tamil. See also: tinderbox and tinder box Define Tinder box. See also: Tinder Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, published 1913 by G. & C. Merriam Co His debut collection, 'These Wild Houses', was shortlisted for the Judith Wright Calanthe Award and the Kenneth Slessor Prize. Rotten wood, known as touchwood, was also used, as well as amadou, which was a tinder prepared from fungus steeped in potassium nitrate (saltpetre) and dried. tinder + box. boiling point, breaking point, clutch, conjuncture, crisis, crossroad (s), cotton, linen, or jute) which had previously been charred via pyrolysis, giving it the low ignition temperature and slow burning characteristics suitable for use as tinder. 'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'. [11], In conventional usage, the term "tinderbox" refers to something that is so dry that it could catch on fire with the slightest provocation, perhaps even spontaneously like a forest fire. 'All Intensive Purposes' or 'All Intents and Purposes'? [3], In use the flint was struck in a vigorous downward motion against the steel, sending a shower of sparks into the tinder which was arranged in the bottom of the box. Entries related to tinderbox Accessed 8 Apr. Throughout prehistoric Europe flint and iron pyrites (commonly known as fool's gold) were struck against one another in order to create a spark for firelighting. (ˈtɪndərˌbɑks) noun. 1. a box for holding tinder, usually fitted with a flint and steel. Synonyms, Antonyms, Derived Terms, Anagrams and senses of tinder-box. What is tinder-box? 2 : a potentially explosive place or situation. ; a potential source of widespread violence: Berlin was the tinderbox of … With the development of iron ore smelting in the Iron Age, the firesteel eventually replaced pyrites. / … a box in which tinder is kept. exclaimed the Soldier. 1. tinderbox - a dangerous state of affairs; a situation that is a potential source of violence; "the Balkans are the tinderbox of Europe". Spoken pronunciation of tinderbox in English and in Tamil. In this lesson, we will summarize Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Tinder-Box.' 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English dictionary definition of tinder box shortlisted for the Judith Wright Calanthe Award and the Slessor...