storm

Meanings

Noun

• Any disturbed state of the atmosphere, especially as affecting the earth's surface, and strongly implying destructive or unpleasant weather.
• A thunderstorm.
• A violent agitation of human society; a civil, political, or domestic commotion; violent outbreak.
• a wind scale for very strong wind, stronger than a gale, less than a hurricane (10 or higher on the Beaufort scale).
• A violent assault on a stronghold or fortified position.

Verb

• (weather it) be violent, with strong winds and usually rain, thunder, lightning, or snow.
• rage or fume; be in a violent temper.
• move quickly and noisily like a storm, usually in a state of uproar or anger.
• [army; crowd, rioters] assault (a significant building) with the aim to gain power over it.
• to assault, gain power over (heart, mind+).

Origin

• From Middle English storm, from Old English storm ("a storm, tempest; a storm of arrows; disturbance, disquiet; uproar, tumult; rush, onrush, attack, violent attack"), from Proto-West Germanic *sturm, from Proto-Germanic *sturmaz ("storm"), from Proto-Indo-European *twerH- ("to rotate, swirl, twirl, move around"). Related to stir.
• Cognate with Scots storm ("storm"), West Frisian stoarm ("storm"), Dutch storm ("storm"), Low German storm ("storm"), German Sturm ("storm"), Danish storm ("storm"), Swedish storm ("storm"), Norwegian Bokmål storm ("storm"), Norwegian Nynorsk storm ("storm"), Icelandic stormur ("storm").
• From Middle English stormen, sturmen, from Old English styrman ("to storm, rage; make a great noise, cry aloud, shout"), from Proto-West Germanic *sturmijan, from Proto-Germanic *sturmijaną ("to storm"). Cognate with Dutch stormen ("to storm; bluster"), Low German stormen ("to storm"), German stürmen ("to storm; rage; attack; assault"), Swedish storma ("to storm; bluster"), Icelandic storma ("to storm").