Thunder

Thunder, thun′dėr, n. the deep rumbling sound after a flash of lightning, a thunderbolt: any loud noise: an alarming denunciation.—v.i. to make thunder: to sound as thunder.—v.t. to give out with noise and terror: to publish a denunciation.—ns. Thun′derbolt, a bolt or shaft of lightning preceding a peal of thunder: anything sudden and irresistible: a daring or irresistible hero: ecclesiastical denunciation; Thun′der-clap, a sudden peal of thunder: the report of an explosion of electricity in the clouds; Thun′der-cloud, a cloud charged with electricity, which generally produces lightning and thunder; Thun′derer; Thun′dering, the report of a discharge of electricity in the clouds: thunder.—adj. unusually big, tremendous.—adv. Thun′deringly.—adjs. Thun′derless, without thunder; Thun′der-like (Shak.), like thunder, as a loud noise; Thun′derous, giving forth a sound like thunder, awful.—adv. Thun′derously.—ns. Thun′der-peal, a clap of thunder; Thun′der-plump, a heavy fall of rain in a thunder-storm; Thun′der-shower, a shower accompanied with thunder, or a short heavy shower from a thunder-cloud; Thun′der-stone (Shak.), a stone fabulously supposed to be hurled by thunder, and to do the damage of lightning, a thunderbolt: (geol.) a belemnite, so called from its dart-like shape; Thun′der-storm, continued discharges of electricity from the clouds, producing lightning and thunder, and generally accompanied with heavy rain.—v.t. Thun′der-strike, to strike as by lightning.—n. Thun′der-stroke (Shak.), a stroke or blast by lightning.—adjs. Thun′der-struck, struck by lightning: astonished: struck dumb; Thun′dery, indicative of thunder, or attended by it. [With intrusive d from A.S. þunor—þunian, to rattle; cog. with Ger. donner, Ice. þorr for þonr, L. tonāre.]