brimstone

[brim-stohn] /ˈbrɪmˌstoʊn/

noun

sulfur.

a virago; shrew.

Origin

before 1150; Middle English brinston, etc., late Old English brynstān. See burn¹, stone

Related forms

brimstony, adjective

Examples from the web for brimstone

After these tortures, he was put into the screw or press, and boiling pitch and brimstone were poured into his mouth.
The bounty upon gunpowder exported, a drawback duties of the duties upon brimstone and saltpetre imported.
Maybe because there are too many of them who feel they must match tactics with those invoking hellfire and brimstone.
In truth, the spate of bad press had the distinct odor of brimstone.
But there are living hells, and at times you can smell the brimstone a long way off.
It's time to wake up and smell the sulfur and brimstone.
They need not be movie stars, they need not preach fire and brimstone, and they need not be fear mongering instigators.

British Dictionary definitions for brimstone

brimstone

/ˈbrɪmˌstəʊn/

noun

an obsolete name for sulphur

a common yellow butterfly, Gonepteryx rhamni, of N temperate regions of the Old World: family Pieridae

(archaic) a scolding nagging woman; virago

Word Origin

Old English brynstān; related to Old Norse brennistein; see burn1, stone

Word Origin and History for brimstone

Old English brynstan, from brin- stem of brinnen "to burn" (see burn (v.)) + stan (see stone (n.)). In Middle English the first element also recorded as brem-, brom-, brum-, bren-, brin-, bron-, brun-, bern-, born-, burn-, burned-, and burnt-. Formerly "the mineral sulfur," now restricted to biblical usage.

The Lord reynede vpon Sodom and Gomor brenstoon and fier. [Wycliff's rendition (1382) of Gen. xix:24]

The Old Norse cognate compound brennusteinn meant "amber," as does German Bernstein.

brimstone in the Bible

an inflammable mineral substance found in quantities on the shores of the Dead Sea. The cities of the plain were destroyed by a rain of fire and brimstone (Gen. 19:24, 25). In Isa. 34:9 allusion is made to the destruction of these cities. This word figuratively denotes destruction or punishment (Job 18:15; Isa. 30:33; 34:9; Ps. 11:6; Ezek. 38:22). It is used to express the idea of excruciating torment in Rev. 14:10; 19:20; 20:10.