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.