thonder

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Middle English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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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

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  • IPA(key): /ˈθundər/, /ˈθunər/

Noun

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thonder (plural thondres)

  1. Thunder (loud noise created during a thunderstorm).
  2. A thunderstorm (storm which accompanies such a loud noise).
  3. 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!"
  4. Lightning (especially in contexts referring to destruction)
  5. (rare) A threat or intimidation.
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Descendants

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  • English: thunder
  • Scots: thuner, thunder, thundir
  • Yola: dhunder, dunder

References

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