1. In medicine, a liquid solution that contains one or more radioactive elements, which is swallowed orally and used in the diagnosis and/or treatment of disorders, especially cancer and diseases of the thyroid. We are just going to administer a sort of atomic cocktail to track the disease's progress. That way, we can better gauge what course of action to take.

2. An alcoholic drink composed of vodka, brandy, champagne, and sherry. Created in Las Vegas, Nevada, and named after the nuclear tests conducted in the state during the 1950s. Barkeep, I want something that will knock my socks off. Fix me an atomic cocktail!

1. A makeshift bomb, usually consisting of a gasoline-filled bottle and a wick, that is ignited before it is thrown at a target. The riot police moved in after the demonstrators started throwing Molotov cocktails.

2. By extension, something that has an explosive or otherwise negative impact on a person or situation. If you say anything negative about school board, it will be a real Molotov cocktail at this dinner party, believe me! His arrest was the Molotov cocktail that brought the whole scandal to light.