Category:Thunder

Thun"der, n. Etym: [oe., , , as. ; akin to to stretch, to thunder, D. donder thunder, g. donner, ohg. donar, icel. Thor, l. tonare to Thunder, tonitrus thunder, gr. 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.

2. The discharge of electricity; a thunderbolt. [obs.] The revenging gods 'gainst parricides did all their thunders bend. Shak.

3. Any loud noise; as, the thunder of cannon.

4. An alarming or statrling threat or denunciation. The thunders of the vatican could no longer strike into the heart of Princes. Prescott. Thunder pumper. (zoöl.) (a) the croaker (haploidontus grunniens). (b) The american bittern or stake-driver. -- thunder rod, a lightning rod. [r.] -- thunder snake. (zoöl.) (a) The chicken, or milk, snake. (b) a small reddish ground snake (carphophis, or celuta, amoena) native to the eastern united states; -- called also worm snake. -- thunder tube, a fulgurite. See fulgurite.

Thunder Thun"der, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Thundered; p. pr. & vb. n. Thundering.] Etym: [as. . 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. Canst thou thunder with a voice like him job xl. 9.

2. Fig.: To make a loud noise; esp. a heavy sound, of some Continuance. His dreadful voice no more would thunder in my ears. Milton.

3. To utter violent denunciation.

Thunder Thun"der, v. t.

Defn: to emit with noise and terror; to utter vehemently; to publish, As a threat or denunciation. Oracles severe were daily thundered in our general's ear. Dryden. An archdeacon, as being a prelate, may thunder out an ecclesiastical Censure. Ayliffe.

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---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Thunder - Often referred to in Scripture (Job 40:9; Psalms 77:18; Psalms 104:7). James and John were called by our Lord "sons of thunder" (Mark 3:17). In Job 39:19, instead of "thunder," as in the Authorized Category:Version, the Revised Category:Version translates ( ra'amah ) by "quivering main" (marg., "shaking"). Thunder accompanied the giving of the law at Sinai (Exodus 19:16). It was regarded as the voice of God (Job 37:2; Psalms 18:13; Psalms 81:7; compare John 12:29). In answer to Samuel's prayer (1 Samuel 12:17, 1 Samuel 12:18), God sent thunder, and "all the people greatly feared," for at such a season (the wheat-harvest) thunder and rain were almost unknown in Palestine.