definitions

thundering

[ thuhn-der-ing ]
/ ˈθʌn dər ɪŋ /
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adjective

of, relating to, or accompanied by thunder.
producing a noise or effect like thunder.
very great; extraordinary: a thundering amount of work.

noun

thunder.

RELATED WORDS

roar, rumble, resound, reverberate, growl, explode, drum, detonate, peal, storm, crack, clamor, blast, clap, deafen, declaim, bellow, rail, fulminate, denounce

Nearby words

thunderbolt, thunderbox, thunderclap, thundercloud, thunderhead, thundering, thunderous, thunderously, thunderpeal, thundershower, thundersquall

Origin of thundering

before 1100; Middle English thundring, Old English thunring thunder. See thunder, -ing2, -ing1

Related forms

thun·der·ing·ly, adverbun·thun·der·ing, adjective

Definition for thundering (2 of 2)

thunder

[ thuhn-der ]
/ ˈθʌn dər /

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

to strike, drive, inflict, give forth, etc., with loud noise or violent action.

Origin of thunder

before 900; (noun) Middle English thonder, thunder, Old English thunor; cognate with Dutch donder, German Donner; Old Norse thōrr Thor, literally, thunder; (v.) Middle English thondren, Old English thunrian, derivative of the v.; akin to Latin tonāre to thunder

Related forms

thun·der·er, nounthun·der·less, adjectiveout·thun·der, verb (used with object)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for thundering

British Dictionary definitions for thundering (1 of 2)

thundering

/ (ˈθʌndərɪŋ) /

adjective

(prenominal) slang very great or excessivea thundering idiot

Derived Forms

thunderingly, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for thundering (2 of 2)

thunder

/ (ˈθʌndə) /

noun

verb

Derived Forms

thunderer, nounthundery, adjective

Word Origin for thunder

Old English thunor; related to Old Saxon thunar, Old High German donar, Old Norse thōrr; see Thor, Thursday
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

Science definitions for thundering

thunder

[ thŭn′dər ]

The explosive noise that accompanies a stroke of lightning. Thunder is a series of sound waves produced by the rapid expansion of the air through which the lightning passes. Sound travels about 1 km in 3 seconds (about 1 mi in 5 seconds). The distance between an observer and a lightning flash can be calculated by counting the number of seconds between the flash and the thunder. See Note at lightning.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Culture definitions for thundering

thunder

The noise created when air rushes back into a region from which it has been expelled by the passage of lightning.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Idioms and Phrases with thundering

thunder

see under steal someone's thunder.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.