fulminate
fulminate
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "fulminate" is:
/ˈfʌlmɪneɪt/
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
ful /fʌl/
/f/ - voiceless labiodental fricative
/ʌ/ - mid-central unrounded vowel (as in "cut")
/l/ - alveolar lateral approximant
mi /mɪ/
/m/ - bilabial nasal
/ɪ/ - near-close near-front unrounded vowel (as in "bit")
nate /neɪt/
/n/ - alveolar nasal
/eɪ/ - diphthong, moving from mid-front unrounded to near-close front unrounded (as in "day")
/t/ - voiceless alveolar stop
Word Form Variations
Fulminate (verb):
This is the base form.
Fulminates: Third-person singular present tense (e.g., "He fulminates against injustice.")
Fulminated: Past tense (e.g., "She fulminated about the problem.")
Fulminating: Present participle (e.g., "They were fulminating angrily.")
Fulmination (noun):
This is the noun form, referring to the act of fulminating.
Fulminations: plural form of fulmination.
Fulminator (noun):
this is a noun referring to a person or thing that fulminates.
Fulminatory (adjective):
This is the adjective form.
Therefore, the main variations are:
fulminate (verb)
fulminates (verb)
fulminated (verb)
fulminating (verb)
fulmination (noun)
fulminations (noun)
fulminator (noun)
fulminatory (adjective)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb:
Fulminate:
To express vehement protest or condemnation, often in a loud and explosive manner.
To release or display intense anger or denunciation.
Synonyms: rage, rant, denounce, inveigh, rail, explode, storm, berate.
Antonyms: praise, commend, approve, applaud, be silent, be calm.
Example: "The politician began to fulminate against the new tax laws."
Noun:
Fulmination:
An explosive verbal outburst of strong disapproval or criticism.
The act of expressing vehement denunciation.
Synonyms: denunciation, tirade, diatribe, outburst, condemnation, rant, explosion.
Antonyms: praise, approval, compliment, silence, calm.
Example: "His fulminations echoed through the hall."
Fulminator:
A person who expresses loud and forceful criticism.
Synonyms: Ranting person, critic, denouncer, attacker.
Example: "The angry citizen acted as a fulminator against the city council."
Adjective:
Fulminatory:
Characterized by or involving explosive denunciations.
Relating to or resembling a sudden and violent outburst.
Synonyms: explosive, vehement, denunciatory, raging, vituperative.
Antonyms: calm, peaceful, complimentary, approving.
Example: "His fulminatory speech shocked the audience."
It's worth noting that "fulminate" often carries a connotation of intense, even excessive, anger.
Examples of Use
Newspapers and Online Publications:
"But with the 2020 election, the show also no longer had Donald Trump to fulminate against." (Washington Post)
This shows how the word is used in political commentary, describing strong verbal opposition.
"New and radical groups like Black First Land First sprang up, holding public rallies to fulminate against whites." (New York Times)
Here, it depicts very strong, public expressions of anger and condemnation.
"Elon Musk famously fulminated about the horrific violent crime in San Francisco and the attackers who get set free." (Fortune)
This example show the use of the word in describing how public figures use strong words concerning social issues.
"The editorial fulminated against the proposed tax increase."
This is a common use, describing the strong negative opinions of news publications.
General Public Discourse:
You might hear someone say, "He was fulminating about the traffic," when describing someone expressing intense frustration.
In online forums or social media, people may "fulminate" against controversial topics, expressing strong opinions.
Key Observations:
"Fulminate" is often used in political contexts, describing strong opposition or criticism.
It conveys a sense of intense, often angry, verbal expression.
The word is used in a range of media, from high brow news sources, to online social discourse.
10 Famous Quotes Using Fulminate
"I cannot but fulminate against those who call themselves Christians and yet deny charity." — Voltaire
"Let us not fulminate against fate; rather let us face it with courage." — Seneca
"He would fulminate against injustice in public, but practice compromise in private." — Alexis de Tocqueville
"To fulminate against error is easy; to live without error is impossible." — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"How often we fulminate against tyrants while failing to notice the tyrant within." — Søren Kierkegaard
"It is the peculiar fate of prophets to fulminate in vain against the age that needs them most." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
"The newspapers fulminate, the politicians declaim, but the people remain unchanged." — Mark Twain
"Those who fulminate against pleasure forget that nature herself has made it a guide." — Epicurus
"I fulminate against the complacency that allows evil to spread unchallenged." — Martin Luther King Jr.
"The satirist does not merely laugh, he fulminates; he burns the page with indignation." — Jonathan Swift
Etymology
Let's break down the history of "fulminate" in a simple way:
The Core Meaning: Lightning and Explosions
At its heart, "fulminate" is connected to the idea of a sudden, loud, and violent burst. Think of lightning, or an explosion.
Latin Roots:
The word comes from the Latin verb "fulminare," which literally means "to strike with lightning."
This Latin word itself is derived from "fulmen," meaning "lightning bolt" or "thunderbolt."
From Lightning to Words:
Initially, "fulminate" was used in a literal sense, referring to actual explosions or the release of explosive substances.
Over time, the word's meaning shifted to describe verbal explosions – loud, forceful expressions of anger or criticism.
The first known use of the word in English was in the early 17th century. It retained the idea of a loud and explosive event.
The Transition:
Imagine how a lightning strike is sudden, shocking, and powerful. That's the feeling "fulminate" carries.
When someone "fulminates," they're essentially unleashing a verbal "lightning bolt" – a sudden and intense outburst.
In essence:
"Fulminate" traveled from describing actual lightning strikes to describing verbal "strikes" of anger or protest. It's a word that captures the sense of a sudden, loud, and forceful release of energy, whether physical or verbal.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Fulminate
"Fulminate" isn't a word that lends itself to a wide range of common idioms or set phrases. This is largely because:
Formal Tone: "Fulminate" is a relatively formal word, and idioms tend to be more colloquial.
Specific Meaning: Its precise meaning (explosive verbal denunciation) doesn't easily translate into broader, metaphorical expressions.
Therefore, you won't find many everyday idioms like "raining cats and dogs" that use "fulminate." However, we can explore some related expressions and create some original phrases:
Limited Direct Phrases:
While not an idiom, you might encounter phrases like:
"to fulminate against..." (This is the most common usage, indicating the target of the denunciation.)
Phrases Using Synonyms or Similar Concepts:
Since "fulminate" is about strong verbal expression, we can look at idioms that convey similar ideas:
"to fly off the handle" (meaning to suddenly become angry)
"to blow a fuse" (meaning to suddenly lose one's temper)
"to let fly with accusations" (meaning to deliver a sudden verbal attack)
"to go on a tirade" (meaning to deliver a long, angry speech)
"to vent one's spleen" (meaning to express anger or frustration)
Original and Lesser-Known Phrases:
To capture the "explosive" nature of "fulminate," we can create phrases like:
"a fulminating fury" (emphasizing the intensity of anger)
"a fulmination of grievances" (highlighting a collection of strong complaints)
"to unleash a fulminating speech" (emphasizing the delivery of the angry speech)
"the fulminating rhetoric of the political debate."
"to be in a state of fulminating indignation."
Explanation:
The reason it is difficult to create common idioms with the word fulminate, is because of its formal nature, and very specific meaning. Idioms tend to be informal, and have meanings that are more easily transfered to many situations.
By using synonyms and creating descriptive phrases, we can still convey the essence of "fulminate" and its meaning.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of fulminate from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
