# storm

Pronunciation: say "STORM" US /stɔɹm/, UK /stɔːm/

## Noun

1. A period of violent or severe weather caused by a disturbance of the atmosphere, such as a low-pressure system, bringing strong winds and usually heavy rain, snow, or hail, often with thunder and lightning.
   - Simple: A time of very bad weather with strong winds and heavy rain, snow, or hail, often with thunder and lightning.
   - _Forecasters warned that the storm would make landfall by midnight._
   - _Huge waves crashed over the breakwater as the storm intensified offshore._
4. A violent disturbance within human society, whether a domestic, civil, or political upheaval.
   - Simple: A time of great trouble and unrest in a family, community, or country.
   - _The leaked memo touched off a storm in the capital._
   - _Their marriage survived the storm that followed his decision to sell the family farm._
5. A violent outbreak of sounds, speech, or thoughts, or a sudden outpouring of emotion.
   - Simple: A sudden, powerful outburst of sound, words, thoughts, or strong feelings.
   - _The verdict provoked a storm of cheers and jeers in the courtroom._
   - _A storm of grief broke over her the moment the music began._
6. A violent assault aimed at capturing a fortified position or stronghold.
   - Simple: A sudden, violent attack on a fort or other strong, defended place.
   - _After weeks of siege, the rebels took the fort by storm and lost many men._
   - _The commander chose a siege over a storm, hoping to starve the city out._
8. A heavy fall or outpouring of things, such as blows struck or objects hurled through the air.
   - Simple: A sudden, heavy rush of things falling or being thrown, like blows or objects.
   - _A storm of bottles and stones rained down on the riot police._
   - _The fighter weathered a storm of jabs before finding an opening._
12. Short for storm window: an extra window fitted inside or outside another to keep out cold and drafts. *(Canada, US)* — 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”).
   - Simple: Short for storm window. It is the extra outside window that keeps cold out in winter.
   - _Before winter, they installed a storm on each upstairs window._
   - _The storms came off in April once the cold passed._
13. A violent surge of disease, pain, or physiological symptoms, arising as a paroxysm.
   - Simple: A sudden, strong burst of pain, illness, or body reactions.
   - _A storm of seizures swept through the patient within minutes._
   - _Doctors worked to calm the cytokine storm that was damaging her lungs._
14. A disturbed atmospheric state between a strong gale and a hurricane on the Beaufort scale, with winds of roughly 89 to 117 kilometers per hour.
   - Simple: A very strong wind, stronger than a gale but not as strong as a hurricane.
   - _On the Beaufort scale, a storm ranks at force ten or eleven._
   - _The marine forecast called for a storm, with winds up to seventy miles an hour._

## Verb

2. To move quickly and noisily, like a storm, usually in a state of anger or uproar.
   - Simple: To move quickly and loudly, often because you are angry.
   - _She stormed out of the room, furious at the decision._
   - _Frustrated employees storm out when their concerns are ignored._
3. To attack a fortified place, building, or position suddenly and with force, rushing in to capture or take control of it.
   - Simple: To attack a place suddenly and with force, rushing in to take control of it.
   - _Rebel forces stormed the palace and captured the capital within hours._
   - _The general ordered his men to storm the enemy's last stronghold._
7. Of the weather, to be stormy (often with 'it' as the subject), with strong winds and usually rain, snow, hail, or thunder and lightning.
   - Simple: If it storms, there are strong winds and heavy rain, snow, or thunder and lightning.
   - _It had stormed for two days straight, and the river was close to flooding._
   - _When it starts to storm in the mountains, hikers should stay off the high ridges._
9. To assault or seize control of someone's heart, mind, or feelings, as if by force. *(literary)*
   - Simple: To win over or take control of someone's heart or mind suddenly and completely.
10. To shout or speak angrily and violently; to rage at someone or utter harsh, abusive words.
   - Simple: To shout at someone or speak in a very angry way.
   - _The manager stormed at the staff over the missed deadline._
   - _Whenever a deadline slips, the manager will storm at the staff and slam his fist on the desk._

## Noun

11. A spell of weather marked by frost, snow, or both. *(dated, Canada, Scotland, US)*
   - Simple: A spell of cold weather with frost or snow.

## Other meanings

- (verb) To stir up violent agitation or turbulence in someone or something, leaving a person disturbed and uneasy.
- (verb) To remain exposed to harsh weather, especially severe cold.
- (verb) To catch up on lagging production output by making frenzied, all-out efforts.
- (verb) To protect cut seed-hay from stormy weather by gathering the sheaves into small stacks.

## Origin

**Meanings 1, 4–5, 8, 11–14** — From Middle English storm, from Old English storm meaning a tempest, attack, or tumult, from Proto-West Germanic *sturm and Proto-Germanic *sturmaz, ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root *(s)twerH- meaning to agitate or stir up. It is related to 'stir' and has cognates such as German Sturm and Dutch storm.
**Meanings 2–3, 6–7, 9–10** — The verb derives from Middle English stormen, meaning to blow violently or toss about, formed from the noun storm (see etymology 1) plus the infinitive suffix -en. A related Old English verb styrman ('to rage, shout') did not survive into modern English. Cognates include German stürmen and Dutch stormen.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/storm (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).