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Webster 1913 Edition


Thunderbolt

Thun′der-boltˊ

,
Noun.
1.
A shaft of lightning; a brilliant stream of electricity passing from one part of the heavens to another, or from the clouds to the earth.
2.
Something resembling lightning in suddenness and effectiveness.
The Scipios’ worth, those
thunderbolts
of war.
Dryden.
3.
Vehement threatening or censure; especially, ecclesiastical denunciation; fulmination.
He severely threatens such with the
thunderbolt
of excommunication.
Hakewill.
4.
(Paleon.)
A belemnite, or thunderstone.
Thunderbolt beetle
(Zool.)
,
a long-horned beetle (
Arhopalus fulminans
) whose larva bores in the trunk of oak and chestnut trees. It is brownish and bluish-black, with W-shaped whitish or silvery markings on the elytra.

Webster 1828 Edition


Thunderbolt

THUN'DERBOLT

,
Noun.
[thunder and bolt.]
1.
A shaft of lightning; a brilliant stream of the electrical fluid, passing from one part of the heavens to another, and particularly from the clouds to the earth. Ps.78.
2.
Figuratively, a daring or irresistible hero; as the Scipios, those thunderbolts of war.
3.
Fulmination; ecclesiastical denunciation.
He severely threatens such with the thunderbolt of excommunication.
4.
In mineralogy, thunder-stone.

Definition 2024


thunderbolt

thunderbolt

English

Noun

thunderbolt (plural thunderbolts)

  1. A flash of lightning accompanied by an instant crash of thunder.
  2. (figuratively) An event that is terrible, horrific or unexpected.
    • Dryden
      the Scipios' worth, those thunderbolts of war
  3. Vehement threatening or censure; especially, ecclesiastical denunciation; fulmination.
    • Hakewill
      He severely threatens such with the thunderbolt of excommunication.
  4. (soccer) A very powerful shot.
    • 2011 February 5, Michael Kevin Darling, “Tottenham 2 - 1 Bolton”, in BBC:
      Substitute Niko Kranjcar's injury-time thunderbolt gave Tottenham a dramatic win over Bolton.
  5. (paleontology) A belemnite, or thunderstone.
  6. (heraldry) A charge in the form of two joined bundles with four rays of lightning emerging from them, resembling the thunderbolt of Jupiter.

Derived terms

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