I. thun ‧ der 1 /ˈθʌndə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: thunor ]
1 . [uncountable] the loud noise that you hear during a storm, usually after a flash of lightning:
We were woken in the night by thunder.
2 . [singular] a loud deep noise:
She heard the thunder of hooves behind her.
3 . a face like thunder if someone has a face like thunder, they look very angry
⇨ ↑ blood-and-thunder , ⇨ steal sb’s thunder at ↑ steal 1 (9)
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COLLOCATIONS
■ phrases
▪ a rumble/roll of thunder (=one of a series of deep sounds)
We could hear the rumble of thunder growing louder.
▪ a clap/crash/crack of thunder (=one extremely loud sound)
Lightning flickered across the sky, followed seconds later by a loud crack of thunder.
▪ a peal of thunder (=one very loud sound)
She jumped as a huge peal of thunder crashed directly overhead.
▪ thunder and lightning
Rain fell steadily for an hour, accompanied by thunder and lightning.
■ verbs
▪ thunder crashes/booms
Thunder crashed overhead, waking the baby.
▪ thunder rumbles/rolls
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
■ adjectives
▪ distant thunder
Apart from the occasional rumble of distant thunder, there was silence.
II. thunder 2 BrE AmE verb
1 . [intransitive] if it thunders, there is a loud noise in the sky, usually after a flash of lightning
2 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to run or move along quickly, in a way that makes a very loud noise:
The children came thundering downstairs.
Huge lorries thundered past us.
3 . [intransitive] to make a very loud deep noise:
Guns roared and thundered all around us.
4 . [transitive] to shout loudly and angrily:
‘You must be mad!’ he thundered.