damp squib
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damp squib
noun damp squibs
- A firework that has been wet and therefore fails to go off correctly.
- Anything that does not work properly, or fails to come up to expectations; a dud. The anonymous oracle, the author of this pamphlet, is an example of entertaining dullness. He has manufactured a very damp squib; he is a serious man in motley; and practical ideas occasionally drop in among his fantastic vaticinations.
Similar: wet firecracker, dud
Thesaurus
noun
Similar: wet firecracker, dud
Translations
Every language
noun firework that fails to go off, due to wetting
| Français | pétard mouillé |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Blindgänger, Versager |
noun anything that doesn’t work properly
| Français | pétard mouillé |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Schuss in den Ofen, Reinfall, Schlag ins Wasser, Rohrkrepierer |
Talk about this word "damp squib." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/damp%20squib. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. damp squib. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/damp%20squib "damp squib." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/damp%20squib.Cite this
@misc{damp_squib_2026,
title = {damp squib},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/damp%20squib},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
