See Also: storm(1)(dictionary)
Storm(medicine)
storm(2)(dictionary)
electrical storm(dictionary)
storm 1, noun(dictionary)
storm 2, verb(dictionary)
storm cellar(dictionary)
Storm Jib - Sailing(gambling)
storm cloud(dictionary)
storm door(dictionary)

storm(1) (iou)



storm noun.
[Old English storm = Old Saxon (Dutch) storm, Old & mod. High German sturm, Old Norse stormr, from Germanic, prob. from base repr. also by STIR verb.]
A violent disturbance of the atmosphere, taking the form of high winds, often with heavy falls of rain, hail, or snow, thunder and lightning, rough conditions with high foaming waves at sea, and clouds of sand or dust in arid regions. Occas., a heavy fall of rain, hail, or snow, a violent outbreak of thunder and lightning, unaccompanied by strong wind. Also in Astronomy, a violent disturbance of the atmosphere of a star or planet. OE.
dust-storm, hailstorm, rainstorm, sandstorm, snowstorm, thunderstorm.
W. Cather A storm had come up.., bringing..torrents of rain. P. Sayer As..winter deepened the storms became very rough.
b. spec. A snowstorm. Also, a quantity of fallen snow. Scot. L17.
c. A wind of a particular degree of violence; spec. one classed as force 10 or 11 on the Beaufort scale (between a gale and a hurricane), having an average velocity of 48-63 knots (55-72 miles per hour) or, in some classifications, of 56-63 knots (64-72 miles per hour). E19.
d. A period of hard weather with frost and snow. Scot. & N. Amer. L19.
e. In pl. Storm windows. N. Amer. M20.
A heavy discharge or downfall (of missiles, blows, etc.). OE.
fig.
a. A violent disturbance of affairs, whether political, social, or domestic; tumult. OE.
b. A sudden rush (of sound, tears, etc.); a violent outburst (of protest, censure, ridicule, etc.); a passionate expression of feeling; a vigorous or vehement dispute. LME.
J. Higgins The orchestra stood..and there was a storm of applause.
c. Commotion or disturbance of mind; a mass of powerful thoughts or feelings. M16.
Medicine. A paroxysm, a violent attack (of pain, disease, etc.). Usu. with specifying word, as asthmatic storm, rheumatic storm. M16.
Military. [from the verb.] A violent assault on a fortified position. M17.
Phrases: any port in a storm: see PORT noun1. buy up a storm, cook up a storm, etc., N. Amer. colloq. buy, cook, etc., (esp. a lot of) things with great enthusiasm and energy. electric storm: see ELECTRIC adjective. go down a storm colloq. be received, esp. by an audience, with great enthusiasm. magnetic storm: see MAGNETIC adjective. storm and stress = STURM UND DRANG. storm in a teacup a great excitement about a trivial matter. take by storm take possession of by a sudden attack; fig. achieve sudden and overwhelming success with or in.
Comb.: storm apron US a waterproof sheet used to cover the front of an open carriage in wet weather; storm-area the area over which a storm spreads itself; storm-beach an expanse of sand or gravel thrown up on the coast by storms; storm-bird = STORM PETREL; stormbound adjective prevented by storms from leaving port or continuing a voyage; storm cellar (chiefly US) a cellar or dugout made as a shelter from storms; storm centre the comparatively calm central area of a cyclonic storm; fig. the central point around which a storm of controversy, trouble, etc., rages; storm choke a safety valve installed in an oil-well pipe below the ocean surface to stop excess oil flow in the event of damage at the wellhead; storm cloud a dark heavy cloud which drops rain or threatens to do so; storm coat (chiefly US) a waterproof coat or heavy overcoat for use in stormy weather; storm cock the mistle thrush (from its continuing to sing in stormy weather); storm-collar a high coat-collar that can be turned up and fastened; storm cone = CONE noun 9; storm cuff a tight-fitting cuff inside the end of a sleeve which prevents rain or wind from getting in; storm door (orig. US) an outer or supplementary door for protection in bad weather; storm drain a drain built to carry away excess water in times of heavy rain; storm-drum = DRUM noun1 11; storm-finch = STORM PETREL; storm-flap a piece of material designed to protect an opening or fastening from the effects of rain, as on a tent, coat, etc.; storm-glass a hermetically sealed tube containing a solution supposed to change in appearance on the approach of a storm; storm-god, storm-goddess a deity supposed to rule the storms; storm-jib Nautical a small heavy jib used in a high wind; storm lantern (orig. US) = hurricane-lamp s.v. HURRICANE noun; storm-light (a) the lurid light seen in a stormy sky; (b) = CORPOSANT; storm-porch a porch for the protection of an outer door from storms; stormproof adjective (a) impervious to storm; protected from or affording protection from stormy weather; (b) proof against storming or assault; storm-sail Nautical a sail of heavy canvas and reduced dimensions used in stormy weather; storm sewer N. Amer. = storm drain above; storm shutter an outside window-shutter for use in stormy weather; storm-signal a visible signal (as a lamp, flag, etc.) which gives warning of the approach (and direction) of a storm; fig. an indication of an imminent outburst of emotion or conflict; storm-stayed, storm-staid, storm-stead adjectives (chiefly Scot.) prevented by bad weather from making or continuing a journey; storm surge a rising of the sea in a region as a result of the wind and atmospheric pressure changes associated with a storm; storm-system the group of low-pressure areas revolving round a centre of lowest pressure which constitute a cyclonic storm; storm track the path traversed by the centre of a cyclonic storm, or of successive storms; storm-warning (a) a warning or indication of the approach of a storm; (b) = storm-signal above; storm-water an abnormal amount of surface water resulting from a heavy fall of rain or snow; storm-wave a wave associated with a storm, esp. an abnormally heavy wave caused by storm surge; storm wind the wind which accompanies a storm; spec. = sense 1c above; storm window (a) (chiefly N. Amer.) a detachable outer window put up in winter as insulation and to protect an inner one from the effects of storms; (b) (chiefly Scot.) a dormer window.
stormless adjective free from storms L15.