Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Detonate \Det"o*nate\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Detonated}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Detonating}.] [L. detonare, v. i., to thunder down;
   de + tonare to thunder; akin to E. thunder. See {Thunder},
   and cf. {Detonize}.]
   To explode with a sudden report; as, niter detonates with
   sulphur.

Detonating \Det"o*na`ting\, a. & n.
   from {Detonate}.

   {Detonating gas}, a mixture of two volumes of hydrogen with
      one volume of oxygen, which explodes with a loud report
      upon ignition.

   {Detonating powder}, any powder or solid substance, as
      fulminate of mercury, which when struck, explodes with
      violence and a loud report.

   {Detonating primer}, a primer exploded by a fuse; -- used to
      explode gun cotton in blasting operations.

   {Detonating tube}, a strong tube of glass, usually graduated,
      closed at one end, and furnished with two wires passing
      through its sides at opposite points, and nearly meeting,
      for the purpose of exploding gaseous mixtures by an
      electric spark, as in gas analysis, etc.

Source : WordNet®

detonating
     adj : (of munitions) going off; "bursting bombs"; "an exploding
           nuclear device"; "a spectacular display of detonating
           anti-tank mines" [syn: {bursting}, {exploding}]