tonner

to thunder

verb toh-NEH Rare

Also means

to rage, to fulminate

Usage Note

Tonner is an impersonal verb in its literal meteorological sense: il tonne ('it is thundering'). Figuratively it means to thunder or rant at someone, often used with contre — tonner contre l'injustice ('to thunder against injustice'). The noun tonnerre ('thunder') shares the same root and appears in the exclamation tonnerre de Brest!

Examples

"Il commence à tonner au loin."

Natural Translation

It is starting to thunder in the distance.

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