thruster
1450
thrust·er /'θrʌstər/ n a small ROCKET, especially for controlling the height or direction of a spacecraft
thru·way, throughway /'θruːweɪ/ n AmE a very wide road for high-speed traffic which one must usually pay to use
thud¹ /θʌd/ n a dull sound as caused by a heavy object falling to the ground: The encyclopedia fell to the floor with a thud.
thud² v -dd- [I+adv/prep] to move, fall, or hit something so as to make a thud: The arrow thudded into the target.
thug /θʌg/ n a violent man, especially a criminal
thumb¹ /θʌm/ n 1 the short thick finger that is set apart from the other four → see picture at HAND 2 the part of a GLOVE that fits over this 3 all thumbs infml very awkward with the hands: I seem to be all thumbs today. 4 thumbs down (an expression of dissatisfaction or disapproval shown by holding the thumb downwards): Our plan got the thumbs down. (=was not accepted) 5 thumbs up (an expression of satisfaction, victory, or approval shown by holding the thumb upwards): The chairman has given our plan the thumbs up. (=approved it) 6 under someone's thumb infml under the control, power, or influence of someone → see also GREEN THUMB, RULE OF THUMB, OPPOSABLE THUMB, TOM THUMB, twiddle one's thumbs (TWIDDLE)
thumb² v [T] 1 infml to ask passing motorists for (a free ride) by holding out one's hand with the thumb raised: I thumbed a lift to London. → compare HITCH 2 thumb one's nose at infml to refuse to accept or consider, especially in an offensive way: Young people in the 1960s thumbed their noses at traditional sexual morality.
thumb through (sthg.) phr v [I;T] to look through (a book) quickly
thumb·nail¹ /'θʌmneɪl/ n the nail on the upper outer end of the thumb
thumbnail² adj [A] (of something written) quite short: a thumbnail sketch/description
thumb·screw /'θʌmskruː/ n an instrument used in former times to cause great pain by crushing the thumbs
thumb·tack /'θʌmtæk/ n AmE for DRAWING PIN
thump¹ /θʌmp/ v 1 [I+adv/prep;T] to hit with a heavy blow: The boxer's fist thumped into the punchbag. | The little boy threatened to thump his brother. | (fig.) He thumped out a tune on the old piano. 2 [I] to produce a repeated dull sound by beating, falling, walking heavily etc: The excitement made her heart thump. | (fig.) I've got a thumping headache.
thump² n (the dull sound of a heavy blow
thump·ing /'θʌmpɪŋ/ adj, adv [A] especially BrE infml very (big): a thumping great house | The government was returned to power with a thumping majority.
thun·der¹ /'θʌndər/ n [U] 1 the loud explosive noise that usually follows a flash of lightning: There's thunder in the air. (=thunder seems likely) | (fig.) We could hear the thunder of distant guns. | (fig.) He came in with a face like/as black as thunder. (=showing great anger) 2 in thunder old-fash (used for giving force to an angry question): What in thunder do you think you're doing? → see also BLOOD-AND-THUNDER, steal someone's thunder (STEAL)
USAGE Note the fixed order in the phrase thunder and lightning.
thunder² v 1 [it+] to produce thunder: The dog always hides under the bed when it thunders. 2 [I+adv/prep] a) to produce loud deep sounds like this: The guns thundered in the distance. b) to move making such sounds: The huge aircraft thundered along the runway. 3 [T(OUT)] to shout loudly: 'Get out!' he thundered. ——er n
Thun·der·bird /'θʌndərbɜːrd||-dərbɜːrd/ trademark 1 also T-bird infml a type of car made by FORD and sold in the US. Thunderbirds became very popular with young people in the late 1950s because they were fast and fashionable cars, which are remembered for having TAIL FINS. 2 a type of strong pale wine
Thun·der·birds /'θʌndərbːrdz||-dərbɜːrdz/ trademark a 1960s British television programme for children in which the main characters, played by PUPPETS, are brothers who work for an organization called International Rescue and save people in danger using special aircraft and other vehicles, called Thunderbird 1, Thunderbird 2 etc. The programme begins with the words 'Thunderbirds are go!'
thun·der·bolt /'θʌndərbəʊlt||-dər-/ n 1 a flash of lightning and crash of thunder together 2 an imaginary weapon thrown by the god Jupiter, causing thunder and lighting 3 a sudden event which causes great shock, anxiety etc: The news of his death was a real thunderbolt.
thun·der·clap /'θʌndəklæp||-ər-/ n a single loud crash of thunder
thun·der·cloud /'θʌndəklaʊd||-ər-/ n a large dark cloud producing thunder and lightning
Thun·der·er, The /'θʌndərə/ an informal name for the British newspaper The TIMES, used in former times
thun·der·head /'θʌndəhed||-ər-/ n a large cloud which appears very tall and which will produce thunder
thun·der·ing /'θʌndərŋ/ adj, adv [A] BrE old-fash infml very (great, bad, severe etc): That's a thundering (great) lie!
thun·der·ous /'θʌndərəs/ adj extremely loud: thunderous applause ——ly adv
thun·der·storm /'θʌndəstɔːm||-dərstɔrm/ n a storm of very heavy rain and thunder and lightning
thun·der·struck /'θʌndəstrʌk||-ər-/ adj [F] extremely surprised; shocked: Geoff was staring at me thunderstruck. 'You mean it's been stolen?' he gasped.
thun·der·y /'θʌndəri/ adj (of the weather) giving signs that thunder is likely
Thur·ber, James /'θɜːbər||'θɜːr-/ (1894-1961) a US humorous writer and CARTOONIST (=someone who does humorous drawings), whose work often appeared in the magazine The NEW YORKER → see also MITTY, WALTER
Thur·man, U·ma /'θɜːmən||'θɜːr-, 'uːmə/ (1970-) a US actress who is known for being sexually attractive. Her films include Dangerous Liaisons (1988), Pulp Fiction (1994), and the Kill Bill series of films (2003-4).
Thur·mond, Strom /'θɜːmənd||'θɜːr-, strɒm||strɑːm/ (1902-2003) a US politician from South Carolina who was a SENATOR longer than anyone else in US history, and who was also the oldest senator in US history when he RETIRED at the age of 100. He was known for his strong views supporting SEGREGATION (=laws that make African Americans live separately from white Americans), but after he died it became known that he had a daughter who had been born to an African-American woman.
Thurs·day /'θɜːzde||'θɜːr-/ written abbrev. Thur. or Thurs. n [C, U] the day between Wednesday and Friday. In Britain, Thursday is considered the fourth day of the week, and in the US it is considered the fifth day of the week: We went to the theatre last Thursday. | I'll phone you on Thursday. | Christmas Day is on a Thursday this year. | Thursday morning/evening etc Shall we go to a film Thursday night? | on Thursdays (=each Thursday) I go to night school on Thursdays. | the Thursday BrE (=the Thursday of the week being mentioned) Angela's arriving on the Thursday and leaving on the Sunday.
thus /ðʌs/ adv fml 1 in this manner; in the way stated: The police tapped the terrorists' phone, and the information thus collected was used at their trial. | (old use) Thus said the Lord ... 2 by this means or with this result; HENCE: The new machines will work twice as fast, thus greatly reducing costs. 3 thus far until now; to this point
thwack /θwæk/ n, v WHACK
thwart¹ /θwɔːt||θwɔːrt/ v [T] to prevent from happening or succeeding: Our plans for a picnic were thwarted by the rain.
thwart² n tech a seat across a rowing boat, for the rower
thy /ðaɪ/ determiner old use [possessive form of thou] your: We praise thy name, o Lord.
thyme /taɪm/ n [U] a small plant grown for its leaves, which are used for giving a special taste to food
thy·mus /'θaɪməs/ also 'thymus ,gland n an organ in the chest or neck of most animals with backbones, which help develop the body's ability to fight disease, and is most active in the young