I.to drive out or off by clapping; orig. a scenic word said of a player, to hiss or hoot off, explode him.
I. Prop.: “histrio exsibilatur et exploditur,” Cic. Par. 3, 26; cf.: “Aesopum explodi video,” id. de Or. 1, 61, 259: “aliquem e scena non modo sibilis sed etiam convicio,” id. Rosc. Com. 11, 30: “nam satis est equitem mihi plaudere, ut audax Contemptis aliis explosa Arbuscula (mima) dixit,” Hor. S. 1, 10, 77; cf.: pars plaudite ergo, pars offensi explaudite, Aus. Sept. Sap. de Thal. fin.—
II. Transf. beyond the scenic sphere.
A. To drive out or away (rare; not in Cic.): aliquem in Arpinos, Afran. ap. Non. 186, 16: “(alios) in arenam aut litus,” to cast out, Sen. Cons. ad Marc. 10.—Poet.: “noctem explaudentibus alis,” to scare away, Lucr. 4, 710.—
B. To reject, disapprove (Ciceron.): “te illud idem, quod tum explosum et ejectum est, nunc retulisse demiror,” Cic. Clu. 31, 86; cf.: “explosae ejectaeque sententiae,” id. Fin. 5, 8, 31; and id. Off. 1, 2, 6: “hoc genus divinationis vita explosit,” id. Div. 2, 41, 86: “multa dixi in ignobilem regem, quibus totus est explosus,” id. Q. Fr. 2, 12, 3: “fictione pristina explosa,” abolished, Just. Inst. 1, 12, 6.