Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Standard tonite, as manufactured in the United States, is an explosive consisting of 52.5 per cent. of pulverulent guncotton and 47.5 per cent. of barium nitrate. These materials are moistened and intimately incorporated under edge-rollers until a uniform paste is produced, which is then formed into cartridges covered with paraffined paper. A specially heavy detonator is required to fire this explosive. Also known as cotton-powder No. 1.
  • noun See the quotation.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun An explosive compound; a preparation of gun cotton.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An explosive compound; a preparation of guncotton.
  • noun US, informal, entertainment industry Alternative spelling of tonight.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Compare Latin tonare to thunder.

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Examples

Comments

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  • I don't like this when used as a spelling of tonight, but was surprised to find it meaning something else:

    "The lance is a thing of the past. The tonite bomb has taken its place as an instrument of destruction."

    --Walter Noble Burns, A Year with a Whaler, 32

    April 28, 2008