thunder

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Thundered p. pr. & vb. n. Thundering. ] [ AS. þunrian. See Thunder, n. ] 1. To produce thunder; to sound, rattle, or roar, as a discharge of atmospheric electricity; -- often used impersonally; as, it thundered continuously. [ 1913 Webster ]

Canst thou thunder with a voice like him? Job xl. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Fig.: To make a loud noise; esp. a heavy sound, of some continuance. [ 1913 Webster ]

His dreadful voice no more
Would thunder in my ears. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To utter violent denunciation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. þunder, þonder, þoner, AS. þunor; akin to þunian to stretch, to thunder, D. donder thunder, G. donner, OHG. donar, Icel. þōrr Thor, L. tonare to thunder, tonitrus thunder, Gr. to`nos a stretching, straining, Skr. tan to stretch. √52. See Thin, and cf. Astonish, Detonate, Intone, Thursday, Tone. ] 1. The sound which follows a flash of lightning; the report of a discharge of atmospheric electricity. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The discharge of electricity; a thunderbolt. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The revenging gods
'Gainst parricides did all their thunders bend. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Any loud noise; as, the thunder of cannon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An alarming or statrling threat or denunciation. [ 1913 Webster ]

The thunders of the Vatican could no longer strike into the heart of princes. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thunder pumper. (Zool.) (a) The croaker (Haploidontus grunniens). (b) The American bittern or stake-driver. --
Thunder rod, a lightning rod. [ R. ] --
Thunder snake. (Zool.) (a) The chicken, or milk, snake. (b) A small reddish ground snake (Carphophis amoena syn. Celuta amoena) native to the Eastern United States; -- called also worm snake. --
Thunder tube, a fulgurite. See Fulgurite. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) An Australian insectivorous singing bird (Pachycephala gutturalis). The male is conspicuously marked with black and yellow, and has a black crescent on the breast. Called also white-throated thickhead, orange-breasted thrust, black-crowned thrush, guttural thrush, and black-breasted flycatcher. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A shaft of lightning; a brilliant stream of electricity passing from one part of the heavens to another, or from the clouds to the earth. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Something resembling lightning in suddenness and effectiveness. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Scipios' worth, those thunderbolts of war. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Vehement threatening or censure; especially, ecclesiastical denunciation; fulmination. [ 1913 Webster ]

He severely threatens such with the thunderbolt of excommunication. Hakewill. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Paleon.) A belemnite, or thunderstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thunderbolt beetle (Zool.), a long-horned beetle (Arhopalus fulminans) whose larva bores in the trunk of oak and chestnut trees. It is brownish and bluish-black, with W-shaped whitish or silvery markings on the elytra. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A burst of thunder. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A sharp burst of thunder; a sudden report of a discharge of atmospheric electricity. “Thunderclaps that make them quake.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

When suddenly the thunderclap was heard. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A cloud charged with electricity, and producing lightning and thunder. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who thunders; -- used especially as a translation of L. tonans, an epithet applied by the Romans to several of their gods, esp. to Jupiter. [ 1913 Webster ]

That dreadful oath which binds the Thunderer. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]