thumpern.
/ˈθʌmpə/, U.S. /ˈθəmpər/ 1.
a. One who or that which thumps.In quots. ?1562, a1625, apparently a cant name for some class of ‘rogue’, or for some coin. In quot. 1728, applied to the striking apparatus of a clock.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > impact > striking > striking with specific degree of force > [noun] > striking heavily > one who or that which strikes heavily
thumper?1562
smasher1884
?1562 Thersytes sig. D.ii Tynckers,..tryfullers, turners and trumpers Tempters, traytoures, trauaylers and thumpers.
a1625 J. Fletcher Mad Lover v. iv, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. D2v/2 (Pulls out a Purse.)..here are thumpers, Chickins, golden rogues.
1728 A. Ramsay Epist. to W. Starrat 18 The thumper that tells hours upon the kirk.
1824 New Monthly Mag. 12 344/2 The thumper on the great drum.
b. Geology. A device for creating artificial seismic waves in the earth.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > earth sciences > geology > geophysics > [noun] > seismological apparatus
microseismograph1881
accelerograph1921
clinograph1933
thumper1962
1962 Times 18 Apr. 4/7 Another device carried is a hydroprod, more familiarly known as a ‘thumper’... It transmits a powerful sound impulse which penetrates the sub-surface strata of the sea bed, the return echo recording the depths of the different layers of sea bed material.
1977 Sci. Amer. (U.K. ed.) July 65/2 (advt.) Seismic excitation—a shock wave from an explosive charge or a mechanical ‘thumper’—is applied to the earth.
2. A thumping or heavy blow.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > impact > striking > striking with specific degree of force > [noun] > striking heavily > a heavy blow
smitea1200
ponder1339
clouta1400
whopc1440
routa1450
maul1481
sousec1500
dunta1522
flake1559
lambskin1573
lamback1592
daud1596
baster1600
mell1658
thumper1682
lounder1723
smash1725
plumper1756
spanker1772
douser1782
thud1787
bash1805
stave1819
batter1823
belter1823
wallop1823
whacker1823
belt1825
smasher1829
dingbat1843
dinger1845
oner1861
squeaker1877
clod1886
wham1923
dong1941
1682 Heraclitus Ridens 9 May 1/1 I'le give you such a Thumper shall make your shoulders ake.
3. Anything ‘thumping’ or strikingly big of its kind, esp. a ‘thumping’ lie; a ‘whopper’, ‘whacker’: cf. bouncer n. 3, 4 colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > largeness > [noun] > an exceptionally large thing of its kind
swinger1599
rapper1653
thumper1660
whisker1668
spanker1751
slapper1781
whopper1785
skelper1790
smasher1794
pelter1811
swapper1818
jumbo1823
sneezer1823
whacker1825
whanger1825
infant1832
bulger1835
three-decker1835
bouncer1842
snorter1859
whalera1860
plonker1862
bruiser1868
snapper1874
plumper1881
boomer1885
heavy1897
sollicker1898
sanakatowzer1903
Moby Dicka1974
stonker1987
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [noun] > quality or fact of being extreme > something exceedingly great in degree
the utter1584
swinger1599
a devil of a ——1604
thumper1660
whisker1668
a (also the, one) hell of a ——c1680
swapperc1700
spanker1751
whopper1785
whacker1825
whanger1825
utmost1856
howler1872
hell1931
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > [noun] > a falsehood, lie > blatant, extravagant
a lie with a latchet1580
rapper1611
banger1657
thumper1660
whisker1668
swinger1671
thwacker1674
strapper1677
volunteer1680
hummer1699
swapperc1700
rouser?1770
plumper1776
whopper1791
bouncer1803
yanker1822
rattler1825
whacker1825
falsism1835
crumper1855
bang1879
out-and-outer1880
big lie1939
1660 J. Tatham Rump in Dram. Wks. (1878) 287 You may call it the tail of the great dragon, and 'tis a thumper.
1677 W. Hughes Man of Sin iii. iii. 97 For Thumpers commend me to Abbot Bar, and St. Brendons Stories.
1711 J. Swift Jrnl. to Stella 8 Sept. (1948) I. 355 You are apt to lie in your Travels, though not so bad as Stella; she tells thumpers.
1804 J. Collins Scripscrapologia 157 They gives me a Thumper of a Christmas Box.
1863 J. R. Green Let. 9 June (1901) 125 His lies are such thumpers.
4. In an organ: = thumping-board n. at thumping n. Compounds.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical instrument > keyboard instrument > organ > [noun] > board across back of keys
thumping-board1879
thumper1906
1906 G. F. Goodchild & C. F. Tweney Technol. & Sci. Dict. 768/2 Thumping-board.
Draft additions 1993
A motorcycle or trail bike designed to travel over rough terrain, esp. one with a single-cylinder, four-stroke engine which produces a characteristic ‘thump’ on the fourth power-stroke of the piston. colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > powered vehicle > motorcycle > [noun] > for unmade roads
motocrosser1968
scrambler1969
trail bike1969
dirt bike1970
motorcrosser1973
thumper1980
1980 Dirt Bike Oct. 58/1 Honda seemed to be the only ones interested in producing a decent street/trail thumper for a while.
1981 Biker Mar. 10/1 The thumper lives on... The 499 cc, sohc, single-cylinder motor remains basically unaltered.
1986 Sunday Mail (Brisbane) 3 Aug. 26/3 For those who used to exhaust themselves kicking their thumpers into life, there is good news—an electric starter.
1988 Dirt Rider Sept. 35/1 (advt.) In the old days, if you wanted more performance from your thumper, you and everyone around you had to put up with a lot of exhaust noise.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.?1562