thunder

thunder

I

thun‧der¹ /ˈθʌndə $ -ər/ noun1. [uncountable] the loud noise that you hear during a storm, usually after a flash of lightning:
    We were woken in the night by thunder.
2. [singular] a loud deep noise:
    She heard the thunder of hooves behind her.
3. a face like thunder if someone has a face like thunder, they look very angry
⇨ blood-and-thunder, ⇨ steal sb’s thunder at steal¹(9)
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ phrases
   ▪ a rumble/roll of thunder (=one of a series of deep sounds) We could hear the rumble of thunder growing louder.
   ▪ a clap/crash/crack of thunder (=one extremely loud sound) Lightning flickered across the sky, followed seconds later by a loud crack of thunder.
   ▪ a peal of thunder (=one very loud sound) She jumped as a huge peal of thunder crashed directly overhead.
   ▪ thunder and lightning Rain fell steadily for an hour, accompanied by thunder and lightning.
■ verbs
   ▪ thunder crashes/booms Thunder crashed overhead, waking the baby.
   ▪ thunder rumbles/rolls Thunder rumbled in the distance.
■ adjectives
   ▪ distant thunder Apart from the occasional rumble of distant thunder, there was silence.

II

thunder² verb
1. [intransitive] if it thunders, there is a loud noise in the sky, usually after a flash of lightning
2. [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to run or move along quickly, in a way that makes a very loud noise:
    The children came thundering downstairs.
    Huge lorries thundered past us.
3. [intransitive] to make a very loud deep noise:
    Guns roared and thundered all around us.
4. [transitive] to shout loudly and angrily:
    ‘You must be mad!’ he thundered.