▪ I. thumping, vbl. n.
(ˈθʌmpɪŋ)
[f. thump v. + -ing1.]
The action of the verb thump in various senses; an instance of this.
| 1577 J. Northbrooke Dicing (1843) 171 They daunce with..monstrous thumping of the feete. 1657 Thornley tr. Longus' Daphnis & Chloe 84 Leaping Dolphins, with the thumping of their tails, loosened the planks. 1722 in Boulton Amusem. Old London (1901) I. 29 She may expect a good thumping. 1862 B. Taylor Poet's Jrnl. ii. Autumnal Dreams, The drowsy air is startled With the thumping of the flail. 1892 Symonds M. Angelo (1899) I. v. ii. 187 He was cast forth..with good round kicks and thumpings. |
b. attrib., as thumping-board, a loaded board placed across the keys of an organ just behind the part used by the fingers, to prevent an undue rising of the key when released by the finger.
| 1879 Organ Voicing i. 6 The thumping-board or damper, assists to keep the keys level. 1881 W. E. Dickson Organ-Build. viii. 114 A heavy damper or ‘thumping-board’ should be laid across the key-board. |
▪ II. ˈthumping, ppl. a.
[f. thump v. + -ing2.]
1. That thumps, in various senses; beating; banging; throbbing.
| 1581 Mulcaster Positions xxvii. (1887) 107 The tumbling Cybistike, the thumping Pugillate, the buffeting Cestus. a 1597 Peele David & Bethsabe iii. ii, To scape the fury of their thumping beaks. 1859 Habits Gd. Soc. vi. 234 The loud, thumping style [of playing the piano] should be avoided. 1898 Allbutt's Syst. Med. V. 916 In slim, long-chested youths..a thumping or uncovered heart may well be mistaken for a hypertrophy. |
2. fig. (colloq.) Of striking size, extent, or amount; exceptionally large or heavy; huge, ‘whacking’, ‘whopping’: cf. bouncing ppl. a.
| 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 402 He vseth great and thumping words. 1671 H. Foulis Hist. Rom. Treasons (1681) 26 The thumping commendations of their Saints. 1719 D'Urfey Pills II. 48 Strong Wine, and thumping Glasses. a 1814 He must be Married iii. i. in New Brit. Theatre IV. 268 A house-full of great, thumping, rosy-cheeked, boys and girls. 1826 W. E. Andrews Crit. Rev. Fox's Bk. Mart. II. 270 This is a thumping lie. 1855 Thackeray Newcomes lv, Let us console that martyr..with thumping damages. 1865 Sir S. Northcote in Daily News 29 May 3 Producing sensational effects by the utterance of what I may call good, stout, thumping lies. 1902 C. G. Harper Holyhead Road II. 94 The electors returned both himself and the other Conservative candidate by thumping majorities. |
Hence ˈthumpingly adv. (a) lit.; (b) colloq., very, exceedingly.
| a 1693 Urquhart's Rabelais iii. ix. 77 If I did not..thumpingly bethwack her Gillets. 1923 Chambers's Jrnl. Apr. 211/1 [He] gripped my hand—Shook it thumpingly. 1948 Manch. Guardian Weekly 11 Nov. 3 There was a thumpingly false assumption made about the American farmer. 1977 Times 17 Feb. 8/5 A book of thumpingly high entertainment value. 1983 N. & Q. Feb. 85/2 Even the thumpingly main statement of the last couplet of Spenser's ‘tradefull Merchants’ sonnet can be regarded as a mere gesture. |