Brewer's: Tonans

Delirium tonans. Loud talk, exaggeration, gasconade. Blackwood's Magazine (1869) introduced the expression in the following clause:

“Irishmen are the victims of that terrible malady that is characterised by a sort of subacute raving, and may, for want of a better name, be called `delirium tonans.' ”

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language