blood and thunder
noun
sensationalism, violence, or exaggerated melodrama.
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blood and thunder
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blood-and-thunder
blood-and-thunderadjectivedenoting or relating to a melodramatic adventure story
blood and thunder
Americannoun
blood-and-thunder
British
adjective
Etymology
Origin of blood and thunder
First recorded in 1855–60
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Mainoo, meanwhile, rose above the blood and thunder with rare composure for one so young.
From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2024
There isn't the blood and thunder of South Africa, the champagne and swagger of France or the intricacies of Ireland.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2023
On the other side of the English Channel, the reaction against the French Revolution packed a lot more blood and thunder.
From Salon ● Jul. 1, 2023
Wayne Rooney tried to stabilise his team from a central midfield role, seeking to chisel out any kind of foothold with some possession, but it was West Ham who brought the blood and thunder.
From The Guardian ● May 10, 2016
The Dook de Karneel, K.C.B., taken a blood and thunder!
From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 23 (of 25) by Robert Louis Stevenson
England need to balance blood-and-thunder intensity with cunning and co-ordination, otherwise they risk being led into making all-too-familiar errors.
From BBC ● Nov. 16, 2024
“Spartacus,” released in 1960, was Mr. Douglas’s third blood-and-thunder spectacle set in the ancient past.
From New York Times ● Feb. 5, 2020
It is a testament to Barry’s longevity, adaptability and quality that he has lasted so long in the fast-paced, blood-and-thunder world of English soccer.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 21, 2017
It was a blood-and-thunder effort, with the striker seeming to hurl Papastathopoulos and Sahin out of the way before stepping away from Omer Toprak and curling his finish past Bürki.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 13, 2017
He played a blood-and-thunder hymn, and Mrs. Cobb clapped to it.
From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
