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fulminate

 - 3 dictionary results

ful⋅mi⋅nate

  [fuhl-muh-neyt] verb, -nat⋅ed, -nat⋅ing, noun
Use fulminate in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to explode with a loud noise; detonate.
2. to issue denunciations or the like (usually fol. by against): The minister fulminated against legalized vice.
–verb (used with object)
3. to cause to explode.
4. to issue or pronounce with vehement denunciation, condemnation, or the like.
–noun
5. one of a group of unstable, explosive compounds derived from fulminic acid, esp. the mercury salt of fulminic acid, which is a powerful detonating agent.
Origin:
1375–1425; late ME fulminaten < L fulminātus (ptp. of fulmināre) thundered, equiv. to fulmin- (s. of fulmen) thunderbolt, lightning + -ātus -ate 1

Related forms:
ful⋅mi⋅na⋅tor, noun
ful⋅mi⋅na⋅to⋅ry  [fuhl-muh-nuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To fulminate
ful·mi·nate   (fŏŏl'mə-nāt', fŭl'-)   
v.   ful·mi·nat·ed, ful·mi·nat·ing, ful·mi·nates

v.   intr.

  1. To issue a thunderous verbal attack or denunciation: fulminated against political chicanery.

  2. To explode or detonate.

v.   tr.

  1. To issue (a denunciation, for example) thunderously.

  2. To cause to explode.

n.  An explosive salt of fulminic acid, especially fulminate of mercury.

[Middle English fulminaten, from Latin fulmināre, fulmināt-, to strike with lightning, from fulmen, fulmin-, lightning that strikes; see bhel-1 in Indo-European roots.]
ful'mi·na'tion n., ful'mi·na'tor n., ful'mi·na·to'ry (-nə-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

fulminate 
c.1450, "publish a 'thundering' denunciation," from L. fulminatus, pp. of fulminare "hurl lightning, lighten," from fulmen (gen. fulminis) "lightning," related to fulgere "to shine, flash" (see phlegm). Metaphoric sense (the original sense in Eng.) is via its use in reference to a formal ecclesiastical censure.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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