I.a. [root in Sanscr. tan-, to stretch, extend; Gr. τείνω; whence teneo, tendo, tenus; cf. O. H. Germ. donar; Engl. thunder], to thunder.
I. Lit.: ingens Porta tonat caeli, Enn. ap. Vet. Gram. ap. Col. (Ann. v. 597 Vahl.); imitated by Verg. G. 3, 261: cum tonuit laevum bene tempestate serenā, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 2, 39, 82 (Ann. v. 517 Vahl.): “ut valide tonuit!” Plaut. Am. 5, 1, 10; so id. ib. 5, 1, 78: “si fulserit, si tonuerit,” Cic. Div. 2, 72, 149: “Jove tonante,” id. ib. 2, 18, 43; id. Phil. 5, 3, 7: “tonans Juppiter,” Hor. C. 3, 5, 1; id. Epod. 2, 29; Inscr. Orell. 2, p. 23: “sub axe tonanti Sternitur aequor,” Verg. A. 5, 820: “pater nudā de rupe tonabat,” Prop. 4 (5), 1, 7. “nec si consulto fulmina missa tonent,” id. 2, 34 (3, 32), 54: “Diespiter per purum tonantes Egit equos,” Hor. C. 1, 34, 7: “Juppiter, tona,” Sen. Med. 5, 31.—
II. Transf., in gen.
A. Neutr., to make a loud, thundering noise, to roar, rattle, crash, etc. (cf.: “crepo, strepo): tympana tenta tonant,” Lucr. 2, 618: “Aetna horrificis ruinis,” Verg. A. 3, 571: “caelum omne fragore,” id. ib. 9, 541; cf. id. ib. 12, 757: “domus afflicta massa,” Val. Fl. 4, 612: “nemus fragore vasto,” Sen. Troad. 173; Mart. 9, 69, 4.—Of loud, thundering speech: “Pericles fulgere, tonare, dictus est,” Cic. Or. 9, 29; Plin. Ep. 1, 20, 19; “Col. praef. § 30: qualis Pindarico spiritus ore tonat,” Prop. 3, 17 (4, 16), 40; Verg. A. 11, 383.—
B. Act., to thunder forth, to say or name with a thundering voice: “tercentum tonat ore deos,” invokes with thundering voice, Verg. A. 4, 510: “verba foro,” Prop. 4 (5), 1, 134. “aspera bella,” Mart. 8, 3, 14: “talia celso ore,” Claud. Rapt. Pros. 1, 83: “Cicerona,” id. Ep. 3, 4.—Hence, P. a., as epithet of Jupiter: Tŏnans , antis, m., the thunderer, god of thunder, Ov. M. 1, 170; 2, 466; 11, 198; id. H. 9, 7; id. F. 6, 33; cf.: “Capitolinus Tonans,” id. ib. 2, 69: “sceptriferi Tonantes, Jupiter and Juno,” Sen. Med. 59.—Also of Saturn: “falcifer Tonans,” Mart. 5, 16, 5.
