thunder
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.the loud noise that follows a flash of lightning during a storm.
n.the loud rumbling or crashing sound caused by the rapid expansion of air heated by a lightning bolt.
Simple“The children hid under the blankets when they heard the loud thunder outside.”
In context“A sudden crack of thunder shook the windows, followed immediately by a torrential downpour that flooded the garden paths.”
UsageOften used as an uncountable noun, but 'a clap of thunder' or 'a crack of thunder' is used for a single sound.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a deep, heavy sound that reminds you of a storm.
n.a deep, resonant, and continuous sound resembling atmospheric thunder.
Simple“We could hear the thunder of the waterfall long before we saw it.”
In context“The distant thunder of heavy machinery signaled that the construction crew had begun clearing the site for the new stadium.”
- 03 A2 Elementary
v.when the sky makes a loud noise during a storm.
v.to produce the sound of thunder during a meteorological event; used impersonally with 'it'.
Simple“It started to thunder just as we were finishing our picnic in the park.”
In context“The sky grew dark and it began to thunder, forcing the referee to suspend the match for the safety of the players.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to move very fast while making a loud, heavy noise.
v.to move with great speed and resonance, typically creating a heavy vibration.
Simple“The express train thundered through the small station without stopping.”
In context“A herd of wild horses thundered across the plains, kicking up clouds of dust that obscured the horizon.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
v.to shout something in a very loud, angry, or powerful voice.
v.to utter something with a loud, forceful, or threatening tone.
Simple“The judge thundered at the lawyer to sit down and be quiet.”
In context“The preacher thundered his message from the pulpit, his voice echoing off the stone walls of the ancient cathedral.”
From Middle English thunder, thonder, thundre, thonre, thunnere, þunre, from Old English þunor (“thunder”), from Proto-West Germanic þunr, from Proto-Germanic þunraz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ten-, (s)tenh₂- (“to thunder”). Compare astound, astonish, stun. Germanic cognates include West Frisian tonger, Dutch donder, German Donner, Old Norse Þórr (English Thor), Danish torden, Norwegian Nynorsk tore. Other cognates include Persian تندر (tondar), Latin tonō, detonō, Ancient Greek στένω (sténō), στενάζω (stenázō), στόνος (stónos), Στέντωρ (Sténtōr), Irish torann, Welsh taran, Gaulish Taranis. Doublet of donner, Thunor, and Thor.
From Middle English thundren, from Old English þunrian (“to thunder”), from Proto-West Germanic þunrōn, from Proto-Germanic þunrōną (“to thunder”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.