A bazooka is a tube-shaped weapon that fires explosive rockets, designed to destroy tanks and other armored vehicles. American soldiers first used bazookas during World War II, when they needed a portable weapon that could punch through thick tank armor. A soldier would rest the long metal tube on their shoulder, aim it at the target, and fire a rocket that would streak toward enemy vehicles.

The weapon got its unusual name from a homemade musical instrument that a famous 1940s comedian named Bob Burns played on the radio. His “bazooka” was a long pipe that made funny sounds, and when soldiers saw the new anti-tank weapon, they thought it looked similar, so the nickname stuck.

Today, people sometimes use bazooka to describe anything surprisingly powerful for its size. You might hear someone joke about bringing out the bazooka when they're using an overpowered solution for a small problem, like hiring a professional cleaning crew to tidy up a messy bedroom.