blood and thunder

noun

1. sensationalism, violence, or exaggerated melodrama.

   a movie full of blood and thunder.

blood-and-thunder

adjective

1. denoting or relating to a melodramatic adventure story

Word History and Origins

Origin of blood-and-thunder¹

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

Minow declaimed against what he called the “vast wasteland”: “a procession of game shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence, sadism, murder, Western bad men, Western good men, private eyes, gangsters, more violence, and cartoons.”

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Watching parts of Spence's chat with Ferdinand, you can perhaps make easy assumptions about why a blood and thunder coach like Conte may not immediately take to Spence's more laidback demeanour off the pitch.

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Morgan says his team will bring "heart, soul, blood and thunder".

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Mainoo, meanwhile, rose above the blood and thunder with rare composure for one so young.

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There isn't the blood and thunder of South Africa, the champagne and swagger of France or the intricacies of Ireland.

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Related Words

• theatrical