[f. L. ton-āre to thunder + -ITE1.] A high explosive composed of pulverized gun-cotton impregnated with barium nitrate; cotton powder. Also attrib.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., Tonite, a nitrated gun-cotton, used in blasting.
1883. V. D. Majendie, in Standard, 19 April, 5/6. Explosives (such as dynamite, blasting gelatine, guncotton, tonite, potentite, and detonators) specially adapted for blasting.
1893. Star, 28 Aug., 2/4. A tonite cartridge with a lighted fuse was thrown into the garden of a farmhouse at Euxton…. An explosion occurred which almost wrecked the front of the house.
