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thumping

[thuhm-ping]
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adjective
  1. of, like, or pertaining to a thump.
  2. strikingly great, immense, exceptional, or impressive; resounding: a thumping victory at the polls.
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Origin of thumping

First recorded in 1570–80; thump + -ing2
Related formsthump·ing·ly, adverb

thump

[thuhmp]
noun
  1. a blow with something thick and heavy, producing a dull sound; a heavy knock.
  2. the sound made by or as if by such a blow.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to strike or beat with something thick and heavy, so as to produce a dull sound; pound.
  2. (of an object) to strike against (something) heavily and noisily.
  3. Informal. to thrash severely.
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verb (used without object)
  1. to strike, beat, or fall heavily, with a dull sound.
  2. to walk with heavy steps; pound.
  3. to palpitate or beat violently, as the heart.
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Origin of thump

First recorded in 1530–40; imitative
Related formsthump·er, nounun·thumped, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for thumping

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • The sails had fallen off and they were flapping and thumping and clapping in the wind.

  • If you weren't a boy, I would give you a thumping for what you have already said.

    The Dare Boys of 1776

    Stephen Angus Cox

  • Cut away, carpenter, and get us rid of all this thumping as soon as possible.

    Homeward Bound

    James Fenimore Cooper

  • They were hanging in the entry upon the door of which the captain was thumping.

    Galusha the Magnificent

    Joseph C. Lincoln

  • Nancy looked up at her thumping and thunging, and said, "Did Mr. Kelly give it you?"

    The Manxman

    Hall Caine

British Dictionary definitions for thumping

thumping

adjective
  1. (prenominal) slang huge or excessivea thumping loss
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Derived Formsthumpingly, adverb

thump

noun
  1. the sound of a heavy solid body hitting or pounding a comparatively soft surface
  2. a heavy blow with the handhe gave me a thump on the back
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verb
  1. (tr) to strike or beat heavily; pound
  2. (intr) to throb, beat, or pound violentlyhis heart thumped with excitement
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Derived Formsthumper, noun

Word Origin

C16: related to Icelandic, Swedish dialect dumpa to thump; see thud, bump
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for thumping

adj.

"exceptionally large," colloquial, 1570s, present participle adjective from thump (v.).

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thump

v.

1530s, "to strike hard," probably imitative of the sound made by hitting with a heavy object (cf. East Frisian dump "a knock," Swedish dialectal dumpa "to make a noise"). Related: Thumped; thumping.

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thump

n.

1550s, from thump (v.).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper