storm
IPA: stˈɔrm
noun
- Any disturbed state of the atmosphere causing destructive or unpleasant weather, especially one affecting the earth's surface involving strong winds (leading to high waves at sea) and usually lightning, thunder, and precipitation; a tempest.
- (by extension) A heavy fall of precipitation (hail, rain, or snow) or bout of lightning and thunder without strong winds; a hail storm, rainstorm, snowstorm, or thunderstorm.
- (by extension) Synonym of cyclone (“a weather phenomenon consisting of a system of winds rotating around a centre of low atmospheric pressure”)
- (by extension, Canada, Scotland, US, dated) A period of frosty and/or snowy weather.
- (meteorology) A disturbed state of the atmosphere between a severe or strong gale and a hurricane on the modern Beaufort scale, with a wind speed of between 89 and 102 kilometres per hour (55–63 miles per hour; 10 on the scale, known as a "storm" or whole gale), or of between 103 and 117 kilometres per hour (64–72 miles per hour; 11 on the scale, known as a "violent storm").
- (figurative)
- A heavy expulsion or fall of things (as blows, objects which are thrown, etc.).
- A violent agitation of human society; a domestic, civil, or political commotion.
- A violent commotion or outbreak of sounds, speech, thoughts, etc.; also, an outpouring of emotion.
- (pathology) Chiefly with a qualifying word: a violent attack of diease, pain, physiological reactions, symptoms, etc.; a paroxysm.
- (military) A violent assault on a fortified position or stronghold.
- A unisex given name
- (Canada, US, chiefly in the plural) Ellipsis of storm window (“a second window (originally detachable) attached on the exterior side of a window in climates with harsh winters, to add an insulating layer of still air between the outside and inside”). [A second window (originally detachable) attached on the exterior side of a window in climates with harsh winters, to add an insulating layer of still air between the outside and inside.]
verb
- (impersonal, chiefly US) Preceded by the dummy subject it: to have strong winds and usually lightning and thunder, and/or hail, rain, or snow.
- (transitive)
- To make (someone or something) stormy; to agitate (someone or something) violently.
- (figurative)
- To disturb or trouble (someone).
- To use (harsh language).
- (chiefly military) To violently assault (a fortified position or stronghold, a building, etc.) with the aim of gaining control of it.
- (figurative, often poetic) To assault or gain control or power over (someone's heart, mind, etc.).
- (Britain, dialectal, agriculture) To protect (seed-hay) from stormy weather by putting sheaves of them into small stacks.
- (intransitive)
- Of the weather: to be violent, with strong winds and usually lightning and thunder, and/or hail, rain, or snow.
- To be exposed to harsh (especially cold) weather.
- To move noisily and quickly like a storm (noun sense 1), usually in a state of anger or uproar.
- (by extension, chiefly military) To move quickly in the course of an assault on a fortified position or stronghold, a building, etc.
- To be in a violent temper; to use harsh language; to fume, to rage.
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Examples of "storm" in Sentences
- The storm is approaching to Florida.
- The fleet was scattered by the storm.
- It was the calm in the eye of the storm.
- Much of the city flooded due to the storm.
- As I write this a huge rain storm is brewing above me.
- The storms could produce brief bursts of heavy rain and gusty winds.
- Throughout the storm's path, it produced heavy rains and gusty winds.
- There the storm brought heavy rains and gusty winds before dissipating.
- The images displayed on the triptych focused on storm and water imagery.
- The cold water whittles them down and the extratropical storms gobble them up.
- Scallops often wash up on the beaches or get trapped in shallow water after storms.
- He tries to avoid the term "storm chaser" but has come to accept the term as an inevitability.