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brisance (bri-ZAHNS, bree-ZAWNS) - n., the shattering ability of a high explosive.
What is measured compared to TNT for how effective it is as an explosive. This is essentially the work done by the transmitted shock wave at breaking up what it strikes, which is determined by the detonation pressure. The first pronunciation is the anglicized form, while the second approximates the original French, for that's where we adopted it from in around 1910 -- from brisant, present participle of briser, to break, from a Celtic root.
---L.
What is measured compared to TNT for how effective it is as an explosive. This is essentially the work done by the transmitted shock wave at breaking up what it strikes, which is determined by the detonation pressure. The first pronunciation is the anglicized form, while the second approximates the original French, for that's where we adopted it from in around 1910 -- from brisant, present participle of briser, to break, from a Celtic root.
---L.
