intj. (common).—A mild oath: also THUNDERATION! THUNDER-AND-LIGHTNING! and THUNDER-AND-TURF! BY THUNDER = By God, and the Devil, and what comes between.
1837. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends, ‘The Ingoldsby Penance.’ ‘Now THUNDER AND TURF!’ Pope Gregory said.
1847. ROBB, Streaks of Squatter Life, 149. ‘Why, Polly,’ inquired he, ‘what’s the matter, gal?… WHAT THE THUNDER makes you take on so?’
18[?]. BRET HARTE, Chiquita. And twelve hundred dollars of hoss-flesh afloat and a driftin’ to THUNDER!
1887. W. E. HENLEY, In Hospital, ‘Romance.’
| It looked like fighting, | |
| And they meant it too, by THUNDER! |
1896. LILLARD, Poker Stories, 95. THE THUNDER, you say … some of you must remind the Sheriff to shoot him on sight.
TO COLLAR (or STEAL) ONE’S THUNDER, verb. phr. (common).—See quot.
c. 1709. DENNIS [W. S. WALSH, Handy-book of Literary Curiosities, s.v. 1052. THUNDER, STEAL MY. John Dennis, critic and dramatist (1657–1734), was the inventor of a new species of stage thunder which was used for the first time in a play of his own ‘Appius and Virginia.’ Even with his assistance the play was coldly received and speedily withdrawn. Shortly afterwards … (so Spence tells us), he heard his own thunder made use of. ‘Damn them!’ he cried,… ‘they will not let my play run, but they STEAL MY THUNDER!’ So also POPE: see The Dunciad, ii. 223, Note].
