— thunderer , n. — thunderless , adj.
/thun"deuhr/ , n.
1. a loud, explosive, resounding noise produced by the explosive expansion of air heated by a lightning discharge.
2. any loud, resounding noise: the thunder of applause.
3. a threatening or startling utterance, denunciation, or the like.
4. steal someone's thunder ,
a. to use for one's own purposes and without the knowledge or permission of the originator the inventions or ideas of another.
b. to ruin or detract from the effect of a performance, remark, etc., by anticipating it.
v.i.
5. to give forth thunder (often used impersonally with it as the subject): It thundered last night.
6. to make a loud, resounding noise like thunder: The artillery thundered in the hills.
7. to utter loud or vehement denunciations, threats, or the like.
8. to speak in a very loud tone.
9. to move or go with a loud noise or violent action: The train thundered through the village.
v.t.
10. to strike, drive, inflict, give forth, etc., with loud noise or violent action.
[ bef. 900; (n.) ME thonder, thunder, OE thunor; c. D donder, G Donner; ON thorr Thor, lit., thunder; (v.) ME thondren, OE thunrian, deriv. of the v.; akin to L tonare to thunder ]