in chemistry, signifies an explosion with noise made by the sudden inflammation of some combustible body: Such are the explosions of gun-powder, fulminating gold, and fulminating powder. As nitre is the cause of most explosions, the word detonation has been appropriated to the inflammation of the acid of this salt with bodies containing phlogiston; and it is frequently given to those inflammations of nitrous acid which are not accompanied with explosion. Thus nitre is said to detonate with sulphur, with coals, with metals; although in the ordinary method of making these operations, that is, in open crucibles, and with small quantities of detonating substances, the nitre does not truly explode. See NITRE.