storm
(stɔːʳm )
Word forms: storms , storming , stormed
1. countable noun A2
A storm is very bad weather, with heavy rain, strong winds, and often thunder and lightning.
...the violent storms which whipped America's East Coast.
Synonyms: tempest [literary], blast, hurricane, gale
2. countable noun
If something causes a storm, it causes an angry or excited reaction from a large number of people.
The photos caused a storm when they were first published.
The announcement provoked an immediate storm of protest.
...the storm of publicity that Richard's book had generated. [+ of]
Synonyms: outburst, row, stir, outcry
3. countable noun [usually singular]
A storm of applause or other noise is a sudden loud amount of it made by an audience or other group of people in reaction to something.
His speech was greeted with a storm of applause. [+ of]
The medals ceremony caused a storm of booing.
Synonyms: roar, thunder, clamour, din
4. verb
If you storm into or out of a place, you enter or leave it quickly and noisily, because you are angry.
After a bit of an argument, he stormed out. [VERB adverb/preposition]
He stormed into an office, demanding to know where the head of department was. [VERB adverb/preposition]
Synonyms: rush, stamp, flounce, fly
5. verb
If you storm, you say something in a very loud voice, because you are extremely angry. [written]
'It's a fiasco,' he stormed. [VERB with quote]
Synonyms: rage, fume, rant, complain
6. verb
If a place that is being defended is stormed, a group of people attack it, usually in order to get inside it.
Government buildings have been stormed and looted. [be VERB-ed]
The refugees decided to storm the embassy. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: attack, charge, rush, assault
storming uncountable noun
...the storming of the Bastille. [+ of]
7. See also firestorm
8. take sth by storm phrase
If someone or something takes a place by storm, they are extremely successful.
Kenya's long distance runners have taken the athletics world by storm.
9. to weather the storm phrase
If someone weathers the storm, they succeed in reaching the end of a very difficult period without much harm or damage.
He insists he will not resign and will weather the storm.
10. the eye of the storm phrase [usu prep PHR]
If you say that someone or something is at the eye of the storm, you mean they are the main subject of a public disagreement.
The bowlers at the eye of the storm were nowhere in evidence.
...the minister in the eye of the storm.
11. a storm in a teacup phrase regional note: in AM, use a tempest in a teapot
If you describe a situation as a storm in a teacup, you think that a lot of fuss is being made about something that is not important. [British]
Both are trying to present the disagreement as a storm in a teacup.
Image of storm
© Dark Moon Pictures, Shutterstock
Idioms:
in the eye of the storm
deeply involved in a difficult or controversial situation which affects or interests a lot of people
He was often in the eye of the storm of congressional debates related to U.S. troop withdrawals from Vietnam.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
the calm before the storm
a very quiet period that it is likely to be followed, or was followed, by a period of trouble or intense activity
Things are relatively calm at the moment, but I think this is probably the calm before the storm.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
a port in a storm
a person, place, or organization where you can get help in a difficult situation
She was sweet to take me in the way she did, hardly any notice at all, just told me to come right to her. A port in a storm is a welcome thing.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
a storm in a teacup [British]
said to mean that something is not very important but people are making a lot of unnecessary fuss about it. The usual American expression is a tempest in a teapot.
I know how much Ella likes you. I'm sure this disagreement is all a storm in a teacup. It'll blow over in no time.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
take somewhere by storm
to be very successful or popular in a particular place, and to make a good impression on people there
The film has taken America by storm.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
weather the storm
to survive a difficult situation or period without being seriously harmed or very badly affected by it
The company has weathered the storm of the current recession better than most. As car sales have plummeted, it's seen its share of the market actually increase.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Collocations:
ferocious storm fierce storm police storm storm a house storm back storm front storm strikes storm threatens storm tide storm wave sudden storm survive a storm terrible storm thunder storm unleash a storm wind storm winter storm withstand a storm
On this day 610 years ago a ferocious storm pummelled much of the North Sea coastline.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The ferocious storm overturned lorries, closed major ports and blew the roofs off buildings.
The Sun (2012)
In the US, the entire West Coast has been pummelled by ferocious storms.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
A series of fierce storms struck in February, with Sheffield battered by a tremendous gale that damaged about 100,000 homes.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Bound for the south with a load of timber, she met a fierce storm in her second week at sea.
Tuning the Rig: A Journey to the Arctic (1990)
They endured a hazardous crossing at Chepstow in an open boat in the midst of a fierce storm.
PERDITA: The Life of Mary Robinson (2004)
The police storm his house, but recognizing him they leave amicably.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Six days later, police stormed the same station to clear the remaining demonstrators, again leaving blood on the tiled floor.
Times, Sunday Times
Police stormed two opposition television stations later and closed them down.
Times, Sunday Times
Police stormed the building and appealed to the settlers to leave peacefully.
Times, Sunday Times
A few years ago favela gang members on the run from the police stormed the hotel, taking 35 people hostage.
Times, Sunday Times
A signal was given to storm the house.
Times, Sunday Times
Guided by adult trainers, they storm a house and capture the people sleeping on a floor inside.
Times, Sunday Times
The order came to storm the house.
Times, Sunday Times
And they would storm the house.
Times, Sunday Times
A few moments later, the gang arrives at a farm and storm the house, taking the family hostage.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The visitors stormed back to cut the deficit to two points.
The Sun (2016)
England were two goals down but came storming back to score twice with half-time looming.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They stormed back to topple the mighty Barcelona on an unforgettable night for the club.
The Sun (2016)
Instead, what were then seriously blustery financial conditions have worsened, so that the widening storm front engulfing the world's money markets made yesterday's unprecedented measures essential.
Times, Sunday Times
And then, all of a sudden, we hit a storm front.
Times, Sunday Times
Scud clouds are very commonly found on the leading edge of a storm front.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The car also came with lamps and a storm front and tools.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Eruptions are more likely if a storm front reduces barometric pressure and lowers the boiling point of water around the geyser.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
If a heavy storm strikes, the villagers fear the mud homes they built with their hands will collapse.
Times, Sunday Times
A storm strikes, but a sea-troll helps them out and navigates the boat to a large harbour where they go ashore.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
A lightning storm strikes the house and sends a ball of fire down the chimney and onto the mummywhich evaporates.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
But a tropical storm threatens to disrupt the couple's big day.
The Sun
A storm threatens his lovingly created 'world garden' and his chance of a tourism award.
Times, Sunday Times
So a perfect storm threatens to engulf the care industry.
Times, Sunday Times
Like any outdoor sport, including golf and angling, players, officials and spectators need to take shelter as soon as a storm threatens, even if thunder and lightning are distant.
Times, Sunday Times
A supernatural storm threatens the entire multiverse.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Producing a 6.1 m (20 ft) storm tide that swept 16 km (10 mi) inland, several coastal islands were completely submerged.
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The capital experienced high waves and a 10 ft (3 m) storm tide along its waterfront that reached the third story of some buildings.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
There, the storm tide was 3ft m above normal, which resulted in some erosion.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The force of the storm tide made 31 cuts completely through the barrier island.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The storm produced a 6.1m ft storm tide that swept 16 km (10 mi) inland, submerging several small islands.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The storm wave base refers to the depths beneath storm-driven waves and can be much deeper.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
They also break the power of incoming tides, absorbing almost all the energy from storm waves before they hit dry land.
Times, Sunday Times
Among them was a 620-tonne colossus that was shoved several feet, a record for the largest boulder moved by storm waves.
Times, Sunday Times
Marine processes includes the direction of wave approach, wave height and the coincidence of storm waves with high tides.
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The tree gives its name to a dangerous extreme surfing location known to have storm waves.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
One day, aswewere trekking through a windy fir-lined path halfway up a mountain, a sudden storm descended out of a clear blue sky.
Times, Sunday Times
But then the sudden storm hit global financial markets last summer, a stark reminder that economic and financial stability go hand in hand.
Times, Sunday Times
Their 70ft vessel was blown on to its side when it was struck by the mini tornado during a sudden storm.
Times, Sunday Times
You don't have to worry about being flooded by a sudden storm when you are out: the roof sections are fitted with rain sensors, and close themselves.
Times, Sunday Times
A sudden storm sometimes meant a drenching for the crowd of shelterless students and a ruined day.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
And they're not going to survive the storm.
Times, Sunday Times
His apparent confidence that he would survive the storm stemmed not just from his belief that he would be vindicated, but from his popularity within his party.
Times, Sunday Times
Having to survive a storm like that so early in my career made me improve my defense.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Clinging to their tiny craft, they struggle to survive the storm.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The key players, profiled below, are charged with surviving the storm, and placing their economies back on the path to prosperity.
Times, Sunday Times
There was a terrible storm that night and the dry barge started taking on water.
Times, Sunday Times
The skies turned a surreal purple colour, an apocalyptic sight that warned of the terrible storm, which caused widespread devastation.
Times,Sunday Times
Now that crosswording has weathered that terrible storm, it can take on anything.
Times, Sunday Times
The tree had been ripped out of the ground by a terrible storm with 100 mile per hour winds.
Christianity Today
From one day to the next, in the course of a terrible storm, a landslide wipes it from the map.
The Times Literary Supplement
The sky was about to fall (in reality it was just a thunder storm).
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
The action lasted for close to six hours before being brought to a halt by a tremendous rain and thunder storm.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Effects include flowers drying out or a thunder storm erupting inside the shop.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
That night a thunder storm rages across the bay.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
As they talk, the sky turns red and a thunder storm begins.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
In happier times, that would be enough to unleash a storm of spending.
Times, Sunday Times
But his 93 million payday, which was linked to performance in 2009, unleashed a storm of negative comment about runaway executive pay.
Times, Sunday Times
His unconventional report — grabbed on video, left — unleashed a storm of protests.
Times, Sunday Times
Her comments unleashed a storm of speculation about whether she was about to take issue in public with some of her boyfriend's unpopular policies.
Times, Sunday Times
The photos unleashed a storm of criticism from lawmakers across the political spectrum.
The Sun
The wind storm registered top speeds of about 200 kilometres an hour.
Times, Sunday Times
During wind storm these waves reach up to 1.5 m in height.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
Its steeple was demolished in an 1877 wind storm, it was rebuilt with a crenellated belfry, giving it a distinctive appearance.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
One day a wind storm came and the tapestry flew away.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
While in a temporary outdoor collection, it was damaged in a wind storm in 2009.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
It was the worst winter storm that anyone could remember, and that's saying something in Bermuda.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The forecaster has asked people to send in suggestions for what our winter storms should be called, in the hope that naming them could mean that they are taken more seriously.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Consumers reined in their spending last month as winter storms kept shoppers at home.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But, at the moment, the authorities believe that short-selling introduces an unnecessary risk of undermining banks that could otherwise withstand the storm.
Times, Sunday Times
This family day out will challenge you to build a den to withstand a storm, learn alchemy and go on scavenger hunts.
Times, Sunday Times
We have to withstand that storm.
The Sun
This consisted of severe abrasions on the limbs and chest caused by survivors clinging to trees to withstand the storm surge.
Retrieved from Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0
We pray your masts will withstand the storms and your rudders hold true.
Christianity Today
Translations:
Chinese: 风暴, 气冲冲地走
Japanese: 嵐, 入る/出る怒ってどたばたと
- literary biography
- literary canon
- literary career
- literary character
- literary circles
- literary classic
- literary context
- literary convention
- literary creation
- literary criticism
- literary culture
- literary device
- literary endeavour
- literary equivalent
- literary essay
- literary excellence
- literary expression
- literary fame
- literary festival
- literary fiction
- literary figure
- literary form
- literary genius
- literary genre
- literary giant