Obs. Also 4–5 foudre. [a. OF. fouldre (Fr. foudre):—vulg. Lat. *fulgĕr-em (L. fulgur neut.).] Lightning; a thunderbolt.

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c. 1384.  Chaucer, H. Fame, II. 26.

        But never was ther dint of thonder,
Ne that thing that men calle foudre,
That smoot somtyme a tour to poudre.

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c. 1450.  Mirour Saluacioun, 3412.

        And onloking the kepers the stone fro the dore tirvid
Whas clothis whitte als the snawe his face like foudre shynyng.

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1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, F iij. Sodome and Gomorre with fyue other cytees were also brente and conbusted vnto thabismes by fyre of sulphur and of fouldre.

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