thonder
Middle English edit
Alternative forms edit
- thoner, thunder, thundre, thonre, thunnere, þunre, thwndur, thundur, thondir, thondyr, þonder, þunder, thounder, thundyr
Etymology edit
Inherited from Old English þunor, from Proto-West Germanic *þunr.
The varieties with -d- are from the oblique stem of þunor, þunr-, which experienced a sound change -nr- → -ndr-; this was leveled into all forms of the word (compare gandre).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
thonder (plural thondres)
- Thunder (loud noise created during a thunderstorm).
- A thunderstorm (storm which accompanies such a loud noise).
- Something which acoustically resembles thunder.
- c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.)[1], published c. 1410, Apocalips 6:1, page 119r, column 2; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:
- And I ſai þat þe lomb hadde opened oon of þe ſeuene ſeelis. ⁊ I herde oon of þe foure beeſtis ſeiynge as a vois of þundur / come ⁊ ſe
- And I saw that the lamb had opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four creatures saying, like the sound of thunder, "Come and see!"
- Lightning (especially in contexts referring to destruction)
- (rare) A threat or intimidation.
Related terms edit
Descendants edit
References edit
- “thǒnder, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-10-08.