thunderstroke

These words fell upon Charlotte like a thunderstroke: she rose from her seat half-fainting, and unconscious of what she did.

This fell on the province with the power and rapidity of a thunderstroke; it made no cry, no movement; Bretagne expired.

Only when every evasion has been exhausted comes the thunderstroke which reverses the whole situation.

It may be imagined that this was a thunderstroke to Madame: it nearly killed her.

But I wanted the man to feel more than a swift thunderstroke of mortal agony.