thunder

[thuhn-der]

noun

1. a loud, explosive, resounding noise produced by the explosive expansion of air heated by a lightning discharge.

2. any loud, resounding noise.

   the thunder of applause.

3. a threatening or startling utterance, denunciation, or the like.

verb (used without object)

1. to give forth thunder (often used impersonally with it as the subject).

   It thundered last night.

2. to make a loud, resounding noise like thunder.

   The artillery thundered in the hills.

3. to utter loud or vehement denunciations, threats, or the like.

4. to speak in a very loud tone.

5. to move or go with a loud noise or violent action.

   The train thundered through the village.

verb (used with object)

1. to strike, drive, inflict, give forth, etc., with loud noise or violent action.

thunder

/ ˈθʌndə /

noun

1. a loud cracking or deep rumbling noise caused by the rapid expansion of atmospheric gases which are suddenly heated by lightning

2. any loud booming sound

3. rare,  a violent threat or denunciation

4. to detract from the attention due to another by forestalling him or her

verb

1. to make (a loud sound) or utter (words) in a manner suggesting thunder

2. (intr; with it as subject) to be the case that thunder is being heard

3. (intr) to move fast and heavily

   the bus thundered downhill

4. (intr) to utter vehement threats or denunciation; rail

thunder

1. The explosive noise that accompanies a stroke of lightning. Thunder is a series of sound waves produced by the rapid expansion of the air through which the lightning passes. Sound travels about 1 km in 3 seconds (about 1 mi in 5 seconds). The distance between an observer and a lightning flash can be calculated by counting the number of seconds between the flash and the thunder.

2. See Note at lightning

thunder

1. The noise created when air rushes back into a region from which it has been expelled by the passage of lightning.

Other Word Forms

• thunderer noun
• thundery adjective
• thunderless adjective
• outthunder verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of thunder¹

before 900; (noun) Middle English thonder, thunder, Old English thunor; cognate with Dutch donder, German Donner; Old Norse thōrr Thor, literally, thunder; (v.) Middle English thondren, Old English thunrian, derivative of the v.; akin to Latin tonāre to thunder

Word History and Origins

Origin of thunder¹

Old English thunor; related to Old Saxon thunar, Old High German donar, Old Norse thōrr; see _Thor , _Thursday

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. steal someone's thunder,

   1. to use for one's own purposes and without the knowledge or permission of the originator the inventions or ideas of another.

   2. to ruin or detract from the effect of a performance, remark, etc., by anticipating it.

see under steal someone's thunder.

Example Sentences

“Any storm could produce brief heavy rain, suddenly strong winds, dangerous lightning, fire starts. Stay weather aware today. If you hear thunder, seek shelter,” the weather service wrote on X.

From Los Angeles Times

They might have been steeling themselves for some thunder and lightning from the fans.

From BBC

But of course, we are already living under that thunder.

From Los Angeles Times

The new owners don't reside in the hothouse of Glasgow football, they don't feel the emotion and they look less likely to react to the thunder of the fans in a way their predecessors did.

From BBC

A comically simple, AI-generated song snippet of big room EDM has stolen the thunder of the rapper and producer’s ninth studio album.

From Salon

Related Words

• detonation 
• explosion 
• roar 
• rumble