THUNDER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does thunder mean? 

• THUNDER (noun)
  The noun THUNDER has 3 senses:

1. a deep prolonged loud noise

2. a booming or crashing noise caused by air expanding along the path of a bolt of lightning

3. street names for heroin

  Familiarity information: THUNDER used as a noun is uncommon.

• THUNDER (verb)
  The verb THUNDER has 4 senses:

1. move fast, noisily, and heavily

2. utter words loudly and forcefully

3. be the case that thunder is being heard

4. to make or produce a loud noise

  Familiarity information: THUNDER used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• THUNDER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A deep prolonged loud noise

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

boom; roar; roaring; thunder

Hypernyms ("thunder" is a kind of...):

noise (sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound))

Derivation:

thunder (utter words loudly and forcefully)

thunder (to make or produce a loud noise)

thunder (move fast, noisily, and heavily)

thunderous (loud enough to cause (temporary) hearing loss)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A booming or crashing noise caused by air expanding along the path of a bolt of lightning

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("thunder" is a kind of...):

noise (sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "thunder"):

thunderclap (a single sharp crash of thunder)

Derivation:

thunder (be the case that thunder is being heard)

thundery (accompanied with thunder)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Street names for heroin

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

big H; hell dust; nose drops; scag; skag; smack; thunder

Hypernyms ("thunder" is a kind of...):

diacetylmorphine; heroin (a narcotic that is considered a hard drug; a highly addictive morphine derivative; intravenous injection provides the fastest and most intense rush)

Domain usage:

street name (slang for something (especially for an illegal drug))

• THUNDER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they thunder    ... he / she / it thunders   
Past simple: thundered   
Past participle: thundered   
-ing form: thundering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move fast, noisily, and heavily

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The bus thundered down the road

Hypernyms (to "thunder" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Sentence examples:

Cars thunder in the streets
The streets thunder with cars

Derivation:

thunder (a deep prolonged loud noise)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Utter words loudly and forcefully

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

roar; thunder

Context example:

'Get out of here,' he roared

Hypernyms (to "thunder" is one way to...):

shout (utter in a loud voice; talk in a loud voice (usually denoting characteristic manner of speaking))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

thunder (a deep prolonged loud noise)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Be the case that thunder is being heard

Classified under:

Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering

Synonyms:

boom; thunder

Context example:

Whenever it thunders, my dog crawls under the bed

"Thunder" entails doing...:

storm (blow hard)

Sentence frame:

It is ----ing

Sentence example:

It was thundering all day long

Derivation:

thunder (a booming or crashing noise caused by air expanding along the path of a bolt of lightning)

Sense 4

Meaning:

To make or produce a loud noise

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

The engine roared as the driver pushed the car to full throttle

Hypernyms (to "thunder" is one way to...):

howl; roar (make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence example:

The cars thunder down the avenue

Derivation:

thunder (a deep prolonged loud noise)

thunderer (a noisemaker that makes a sound like thunder)

 Context examples 

You won't fight, as gentlemen o' fortune should; then, by thunder, you'll obey, and you may lay to it!

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Were it not that through long years I have train myself to keep an open mind, I could not have believe until such time as that fact thunder on my ear.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Jo still looked like a thunder cloud, and nothing went well all day.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“Sir!” cried De Clisson, with a voice of thunder, while his countrymen clapped their hands to their swords.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

God was more powerful, as he said, Whom thunder hath made greater.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The end of the alley was blocked by a one-story brick building, out of which issued the rhythmic thunder of the presses, running off the first edition of the Enquirer.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

They have acquired new and almost unlimited powers; they can command the thunders of heaven, mimic the earthquake, and even mock the invisible world with its own shadows.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

We shot over the brow and flew madly down the hill with the great red coach roaring and thundering before us.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His voice was like thunder in our little house.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"Understand?" the other thundered with abrupt fierceness.

(White Fang, by Jack London)