The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

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.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Detonate \Det"o*nate\, v. t.
   To cause to explode; to cause to burn or inflame with a
   sudden report.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

detonate
    v 1: cause to burst with a violent release of energy; "We
         exploded the nuclear bomb" [syn: explode, detonate,
         blow up, set off]
    2: burst and release energy as through a violent chemical or
       physical reaction;"the bomb detonated at noon"; "The Molotov
       cocktail exploded" [syn: detonate, explode, blow up]