Chunders

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. A term often used to describe the act of vomiting or the contents expelled during such an action; it can also refer to something that is messy or unappealing; colloquially, it may indicate a state of distress or discomfort related to illness or food reaction
2. A colloquial expression indicating the act of throwing up, often in a rude or humorous context; it may refer to anything seen as objectionable or revolting; used informally to describe feelings of nausea or queasiness
3. In informal speech, this word captures the act of regurgitation, often with an element of humor or exaggeration; it can describe unpleasant substances or situations; additionally, it may connote a sense of nausea or discomfort from food or drink consumption

Etymology: Australian and British slang "chunder" means to vomit, and its origin is genuinely murky. The most colourful candidate is rhyming slang, linking it to "Chunder Loo", a cartoon character said to have been drawn by Norman Lindsay for early 1900s boot-polish advertisements. The rhyming usage, however, is not actually recorded, so the story remains unproven. A more tangible possibility comes from the sea. The nautical warning "Watch under!", shouted to men on lower decks when someone above was being sick over the side, has been proposed as the source, though this too lacks documentary support and may be folk etymology. Other suggestions include a dialect pronunciation of "thunder", or a Scots verb "chunner" meaning to bump, jostle or spill, which would match the word's sense of something being upset or spilled. The word is first attested around 1950, and it may have been influenced by "chunter", a verb meaning to mutter or grumble.

Synonyms: vomits, pukes, regurgitates, heaves, spills

Antonyms: swallows