squib
noun

- a firework, usually having a tube filled with gunpowder, that burns with a hissing noise and culminates in a small explosion.

- (Australian English) a person who is not brave and is too eager to avoid danger, difficulty, or pain.

- (US English) (also squib kick) in American football, a kick that causes the ball to bounce along the ground rather than go through the air

Cambridge Dictionary, Collins Dictionary, Merriam-Webster

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WORD ORIGIN

The word "squib" first appeared in English around 1520-1530. Most linguists believe it's an imitative word - the kind that mimics the sound it describes.

The earliest recorded uses refer to both the firework itself and to short, sharp satirical writings. This dual meaning makes sense when you think about it - both deliver a quick burst of energy followed by a small explosion of effect. A squib of writing was meant to sting, just like the firework snaps at the end.

By the 1600s, squibs were common enough to appear in official documents. William Blackstone's 1769 legal commentary mentions laws against "making and selling of fireworks and squibs, or throwing them about on any street." They were clearly popular but also seen as potentially dangerous.

The phrase "damp squib" emerged in the 1800s to describe a squib that absorbed moisture and failed to ignite properly. When something is a damp squib, it fizzes weakly and fails to explode - a perfect metaphor for disappointment. The expression stuck because everyone knew the frustration of a firework that didn't work.

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FROM STREET TO SCREEN

For four hundred years, the squib was just a simple firework. Children played with them in the streets, and towns used them for celebrations. They were a source of cheap, accessible entertainment that required no special skill.

In the 1940s, Hollywood discovered that these small explosions could create new effects in movies. In 1943, the film Bataan used squibs to show realistic “hits” for the first time. Moviegoers were stunned. Before this, fight scenes looked fake—there was nothing to show when someone was struck. With squibs, movies became more convincing.

By the 1950s, film makers used tiny squibs with fake blood under clothes. When triggered, they gave the illusion of an injury. Today, squibs appear in all kinds of scenes—metal sparking during car chases, shattering props, bursts of dust—small effects that computers can’t quite replace.

Most people never think about the squib, despite seeing and hearing its results. They rarely consider the centuries of technology that led to modern pyrotechnics. On November 5th, Bonfire Night, tens of millions of squibs and other fireworks are set off across the UK to commemorate Guy Fawkes’ failed 1605 attempt to blow up Parliament. The total retail cost for the fireworks used on this single night of commemoration is estimated to be around €100 million.

Helga & Paul Smith

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SMUGGLE
 OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

"Adding to the spectacle of millions of fireworks—rockets, fire-crackers, and SQUIBS—November 5th this year coincides with a supermoon, when the sun, earth, and moon align precisely, making the moon appear larger and brighter than usual. The effect is most dramatic at moonrise around 16:46. Let's hope for clear skies!"

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P L E A S E   S U P P O R T   O W A D