Chapter Thumb to Tibbs of T by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Thunderbolt (The). Ptolemy king of Macedon, eldest son of Ptolemy Sotêr I., was so called from his great impetuosity (B.C. *, 285–279).

Handel was called by Mozart “The Thunderbolt” (1684–1759).

Thunderbolt of Italy (The), Gaston de Foix, nephew of Louis XII. (1489–1512).

Thunderbolt of War (The). Roland is so called in Spanish ballads.

Tisaphernês is so called in Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered, xx. (1575).

Thunderer (The), the Times newspaper. This popular name was first given to the journal in allusion to a paragraph in one of the articles contributed by captain Edward Sterling, while Thomas Barnes was editor.

We thundered forth the other day an article on the subject of social and political reform.

Some of the contemporaries caught up the expression, and called the Times “The Thunderer.” Captain Sterling used to sign himself “Vetus” before he was placed on the staff of the paper.

Thundering Legion (The), the twelfth legion of the Roman army under Marcus Aurelius acting against the Quadi, A.D. 174. It was shut up in a defile, and reduced to great straits for want of water, when a body of Christians, enrolled in the legion, prayed for relief. Not only was rain sent, but the thunder and lightning so terrified the foe that a complete victory was obtained, and the legion was ever after called “The Thundering Legion.”—Dion Cassius: Roman History, lxxi. 8; Eusebius: Ecclesiastical History, v. 5. (Probably fabulous.)

The Theban legion, i.e. the legion raised in the Thebaïs of Egypt, and composed of Christian soldiers led by St. Maurice, was likewise called “The Thundering Legion.”

The term “Thundering Legion” existed before either of these two were so called.

Thunstone , the successor of king Arthur, in whose reign Tom Thumb was killed by a spider.—Tom Thumb.

Thurio, a foolish rival of Valentine for the love of Silvia daughter of the duke of Milan.—Shakespeare: The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1595).

Thursday is held unlucky by the Swedes; so is it with the Russians, especially in Esthonia. Friday is the unlucky day with Christians, because Jesus was crucified on a Friday.

Thursday (Black). February 6, 1851, is so called in the colony of Victoria, from a terrible bush fire which occurred on that day (see p. 124).

Thwacker (Quartermaster), in the dragoons.—Sir W. Scott: Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Thwackum, in Fielding’s novel, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling (1749).

Thyamis, an Egyptian thief, native of Me mphis. Theagenês and Chariclea being taken by him prisoners, he fell in love with the lady, and shut her up in a cave for fear of losing her. Being closely beset by another gang stronger than his own, he ran his sword into the heart of Chariclea, that she might go with him into the land of shadows, and be his companion in the future life.—Heliodorus: Æthiopica.

Like to the Egyptian thief, at point of death,
Kill what I love.
   —Shakespeare: Twelfth Night, act v. sc. 1 (1614).