thud
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the low, heavy sound made when a heavy object hits something soft or thick.
a dull, heavy sound produced by a non-resonant impact, such as a heavy object falling onto a carpeted floor.
Simple“The heavy book fell off the shelf and hit the floor with a loud thud.”
In context“The silence of the library was suddenly interrupted by the heavy thud of a falling volume, causing several patrons to look up in surprise.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
a nickname for a specific American fighter jet used in the Vietnam War.
A specific nickname for the Republic F-105 Thunderchief, a supersonic fighter-bomber used extensively by the United States Air Force.
Simple“The veteran pilot told stories about flying the Thud during his service years.”
In context“Aviation historians often discuss the high loss rates of the Thud during the early years of the conflict in Southeast Asia.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is highly specific to military history and is rarely encountered outside of specialized aviation contexts or historical accounts.
Synonymsthunderchief
From Middle English thudden (“to strike with a weapon”), from Old English þyddan (“to strike, press, thrust”), from Proto-Germanic þuddijaną, þiudijaną (“to strike, thrust”), from Proto-Germanic þūhaną, þeuhaną (“to press”), from Proto-Indo-European *tūk- (“to beat”). Cognate with Old English þoddettan (“to strike, push, batter”), Old English þȳdan (“to strike, stab, thrust, press”), Old English þēowan (“to press”), Albanian thundër (“a hoof, talon, a shaft", figuratively, "oppression, torment”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.