Thunderbolt

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈθʌndə(ɹ)ˌboʊlt/

Definitions

1. A sudden flash of lightning accompanied by thunder, or a surprising and powerful event that strikes with great force
2. A bright streak of lightning followed closely by thunder ; a sudden, forceful occurrence that shocks or surprises people
3. An intense natural electrical discharge often seen during storms ; a noteworthy event that occurs abruptly and with strong impact

Etymology: A thunderbolt is one of the plainest compounds in English: "thunder" joined to "bolt," with the second word meaning a shaft or missile. The older sense of "bolt" was a projectile, such as the short arrow shot from a crossbow, and that is the image behind the word. Lightning was imagined as a bolt hurled through the air, so a thunderbolt was the missile that the thunder announced. The sense has stayed close to that picture. Today the word still means a sudden lightning strike, and it is also used figuratively for any shocking, unexpected event, as when news arrives like a bolt from nowhere. The metaphor is the same old one: something that comes down out of a clear sky with force and without warning.

Synonyms: lightning, bolt, shock