brimstone: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
lowliterary, formal, archaic, religious
Quick answer
What does “brimstone” mean?
An archaic or literary term for sulfur, particularly when referring to a flammable, yellow mineral.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An archaic or literary term for sulfur, particularly when referring to a flammable, yellow mineral.
The word is used metaphorically to evoke hellfire, divine punishment, or a fiery, destructive element. It often appears in religious or wrathful contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning or usage. Both varieties use it primarily in fixed expressions.
Connotations
Identical strong connotations of hell, punishment, and divine wrath.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “brimstone” in a Sentence
The sky rained brimstone and fire (upon + NP).Preached a sermon of fire and brimstone (about + NP).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “brimstone” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The prophets warned that the city would be brimstoned for its sins.
American English
- (Rare/archaic; standard usage is as a noun only.)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial use.)
American English
- (No standard adverbial use.)
adjective
British English
- His brimstone rhetoric terrified the congregation.
American English
- The preacher's brimstone sermon echoed through the hall.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical, religious, or literary studies discussing themes of punishment or eschatology.
Everyday
Extremely rare; might be used humorously or in reference to a very angry person: 'She was breathing fire and brimstone.'
Technical
Archaic synonym for sulfur in historical chemistry texts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “brimstone”
- Using it as a modern, casual word for anger. 'He was full of brimstone' is unnatural. Using it as a countable noun: *'a brimstone'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, literally it is an archaic/literary term for sulfur, but its primary modern use is metaphorical in the phrase 'fire and brimstone'.
It would sound very old-fashioned or intentionally dramatic. It's best reserved for literary, religious, or historical contexts.
It refers to the torments of hell or a style of preaching that vividly warns of divine punishment, often associated with wrathful imagery from the Bible.
Chemically, no. In usage, 'sulfur/sulphur' is the standard scientific term. 'Brimstone' carries archaic, biblical, and metaphorical weight.
An archaic or literary term for sulfur, particularly when referring to a flammable, yellow mineral.
Brimstone is usually literary, formal, archaic, religious in register.
Brimstone: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbrɪmstəʊn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbrɪmstoʊn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “fire and brimstone”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BRIMming volcano, where the brim is full of STONE that burns like sulfur (brim-stone).
Conceptual Metaphor
WRATH IS FIRE; PUNISHMENT IS A CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'brimstone' most idiomatically used?