To lighten; flash with detonation. With a fiery wreath bind thou my brow. That mak'st my muse in flames to fulminate.Sir J. Davies, Wittes Pilgrimage, sig. I, 4, b.
Hence To explode with a loud noise; detonate. Water and wind guns afford no fulminating report, and depend on single principles. Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., ii. 5.
Figuratively, to issue threats, denunciations, censures, and the like, with or as with authority. Who shall be depositary of the oaths and leagues of princes, or fulminate against the perjur'd infractors of them? Lord Herbert, Hist. Hen. VIII., p. 363.A heated pulpiteer … Announced the coming doom, and fulminated Against the scarlet woman and her creed. Tennyson, Sea Dreams.
Middle English fulminaten, from Latin fulmināre, fulmināt-, to strike with lightning, from fulmen, fulmin-, lightning that strikes; see bhel-1 in Indo-European roots.
from Latinfulminatus, past participle of fulminare (later Italianfulminare = ProvencalSpanishPortuguesefulminar = Frenchfulminer), lighten, hurl lightnings, transitive strike or blast with lightning, from fulmen (fulmin-), lightning that strikes or sets on fire, a thunderbolt: see fulmen.