thunder and lightningn.
1. For the literal use see thunder n. 1.
2. figurative. Denunciation, invective: cf. thunder n. 3, thunder v. 3.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > invective or abuse > [noun]
balec1220
ordurec1390
revile1439
brawlingc1440
railing1466
opprobry?a1475
revilingc1475
vituperation1481
vituper1484
vitupery1489
convicy1526
abusion?1530
blasphemation1533
pelta1540
oblatration?1552
words of mischief1555
abuse1559
inveighing1568
invection1590
revilement1590
invective1602
opprobration1623
invecture1633
thunder and lightning1638
raillery1669
rattlinga1677
blackguarding1742
pillory1770
slang1805
slangwhanging1809
bullyragging1820
slanging1856
bespattering1862
bespatterment1870
bad-mouthing1939
bad mouth1947
slagging1956
flak1968
verbal1970
handbagging1987
pelters1992
1638 W. Chillingworth Relig. Protestants i. Ep. Ded. 4 They speak nothing but thunder and lightning to us.
1883 J. Parker Tyne Chylde 295 They assail with thunder and lightning the credulity..of official guides.
3. transferred.† a. Applied to a cloth, apparently of glaring colours, worn in the 18th cent., and perhaps later. Obsolete.
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the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > textile fabric or an article of textile fabric > textile fabric > textile fabric made from specific material > made from wool > [noun] > of specific colour > multicoloured > dark or light
thunder and lightning1766
pepper-and-salt1774
Oxford grey1822
Oxford mixture1825
1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield I. xii. 114 He had on a coat made of that cloth they call thunder and lightning.
b. attributive (19th cent.) Applied to articles of apparel of a ‘loud’ or ‘flashy’ style, or combining two strongly contrasted colours.(Cf. )
1815 P. A. Nemnich Brit. Waaren Encycl. . s.v. Thunder and Lightning ..ein Borat oder wollenes Zeug von grellem Ansehen.
1891 Flügel Germ. & Eng. Dict. Thunder and Lightning, eine Art Borat oder wollenes Zeug aus Schwarz und Gelb gemischt [i.e. mixed of black and yellow] (plattdeutsch Klütjenstoff oder Wederschall [Widerschein] Nemn.)
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the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > [adjective] > loud, showy, or vulgar
well-furredc1440
slang1828
thunder and lightning1837
slangy1861
Directoire1878
roary1901
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > [adjective] > of specific colour
subfusc1820
blue-collared1837
thunder and lightning1837
subfusc1853
Lovat1895
nude1922
the world > matter > colour > colour relationships > [adjective] > contrasting
thunder and lightning1837
1837 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers xxxi. 332 He wore a black velvet waistcoat, with thunder-and-lightning buttons.
1839 W. M. Thackeray Fatal Boots Mar. I recollect my costume very well: a thunder-and-lightning coat, a white waistcoat.., a pair of knee-breeches.
1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days ii. v. 323 A tall fellow, in thunder-and-lightning waistcoat.
1868 E. Yates Rock Ahead I. Prol. i. 4 Gorgeous in..thunder-and-lightning neckties.
4. slang and dialect. (See quots.)
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the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > distilled drink > cocktail > [noun] > gin cocktail
gin sling1790
thunder and lightning1802
Tom Collins1876
Martini1884
silver-fizz1901
pahit1902
pink gin1903
Clover Club1925
gimlet1928
gin and it1929
pink lady1929
Alexander1930
Gibson1930
silver bullet1930
Singapore sling1930
White Lady1930
pink1942
negroni1947
pinkers1961
dirty martini1991
the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > milk and cream dishes > [noun] > other cream dishes
creamc1430
whitepot1577
trifle1598
fool1653
chocolate cream1702
taffety cream1723
crème1845
bavaroise1846
Chantilly cream1851
thunder and lightning1880
crème brûlée1886
crème Chantilly1908
Chantilly1939
the world > food and drink > food > additive > garnish > [noun] > burning liquor
wildfirec1405
thunder and lightning1905
the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > bread > bread with spread or filling > [noun] > bread with butter, jam, or other spread
bread and butter1533
butterham1713
butter toast1757
tartine1804
butty1827
punk and plaster1891
thunder and lightning1905
cinnamon toast1927
jam-butty1927
1802 Sporting Mag. 20 224 Thunder and lightning (i.e. gin and bitters).
1880 M. E. Braddon in World 3 Mar. 13 Treacle and clotted cream, alias thunder and lightning.
1905 Eng. Dial. Dict. VI. 128/2 Thunder-and-lightning, (a) brandy-sauce when ignited; (b) bread spread over with cream and treacle.
5. thunder-and-lightning snake: see thunder-snake n. at thunder n. Compounds 2.
6. Angling. A variety of artificial fly.
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the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > fishing-tackle > means of attracting fish > [noun] > artificial fly > types of
moor flylOE
drake-flya1450
dub-flya1450
dun cut1496
dun fly1496
louper1496
red fly1616
moorish fly1635
palmer1653
palmer fly1653
red hackle1653
red palmer1653
shell-fly1653
orange fly1662
blackfly1669
dun1676
dun hackle1676
hackle1676
mayfly1676
peacock fly1676
thorn-tree fly1676
turkey-fly1676
violet-fly1676
whirling dun1676
badger fly1681
greenfly1686
moorish brown1689
prime dun1696
sandfly1700
grey midge1724
whirling blue1747
dun drake?1758
death drake1766
hackle fly1786
badger1787
blue1787
brown-fly1787
camel-brown1787
spinner1787
midge1799
night-fly1799
thorn-fly1799
turkey1799
withy-fly1799
grayling fly1811
sun fly1820
cock-a-bondy1835
brown moth1837
bunting-lark fly1837
governor1837
water-hen hackle1837
Waterloo fly1837
coachman1839
soldier palmer1839
blue jay1843
red tag1850
canary1855
white-tip1856
spider1857
bumble1859
doctor1860
ibis1863
Jock Scott1866
eagle1867
highlander1867
jay1867
John Scott1867
judge1867
parson1867
priest1867
snow-fly1867
Jack Scott1874
Alexandra1875
silver doctor1875
Alexandra fly1882
grackle1894
grizzly queen1894
heckle-fly1897
Zulu1898
thunder and lightning1910
streamer1919
Devon1924
peacock1950
1910 Encycl. Brit. II. 26/1 In most fly-books great variety of patterns will be discoverable, while certain old standard favourites such as the Jock Scott, Durham Ranger, Silver Doctor, and Thunder and Lightning will be prominent.
1972 Country Life 23 Mar. 697/3 Three large salmon were clearly visible... I changed to a tiny low water Thunder and Lightning.
7. attributive. Melodramatic, startling, violent.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > manifestation of emotion > [adjective] > given to or marked by exhibition of emotion > melodramatic
melodramatic1789
melodramatized1820
melodramatical1825
melodramic1835
breast-beating1887
thunder and lightning1892
1892 ‘M. Twain’ Amer. Claimant ix. 71 Take What's-her-name, that plays those sensational thunder-and-lightning parts.
1981 J. Wainwright All on Summer's Day 12 Some thunder-and-lightning speed merchant on the opposing side bowled a yorker and chipped a bone in the batsman's ankle.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
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