storm Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a violent weather condition with winds 64-72 knots (11 on the Beaufort scale) and precipitation and thunder and lightning
    violent storm.
  2. noun a violent commotion or disturbance
    tempest.
    • the storms that had characterized their relationship had died away
    • it was only a tempest in a teapot
  3. noun a direct and violent assault on a stronghold
  4. verb behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
    ramp; rage.
  5. verb take by force
    force.
    • Storm the fort
  6. verb rain, hail, or snow hard and be very windy, often with thunder or lightning
    • If it storms, we'll need shelter
  7. verb blow hard
    • It was storming all night
  8. verb attack by storm; attack suddenly
    surprise.

WordNet

Storm noun
Etymology
AS. storm; akin to D. storm, G. sturm, Icel. stormr; and perhaps to Gr. assault, onset, Skr. s to flow, to hasten, or perhaps to L. sternere to strew, prostrate (cf. Stratum). *166.
Definitions
  1. A violent disturbance of the atmosphere, attended by wind, rain, snow, hail, or thunder and lightning; hence, often, a heavy fall of rain, snow, or hail, whether accompanied with wind or not.
    We hear this fearful tempest sing, Yet seek no shelter to avoid the storm. Shak.
  2. A violent agitation of human society; a civil, political, or domestic commotion; sedition, insurrection, or war; violent outbreak; clamor; tumult.
    I will stir up in England some black storm. Shak.
    Her sister Began to scold and raise up such a storm. Shak.
  3. A heavy shower or fall, any adverse outburst of tumultuous force; violence.
    A brave man struggling in the storms of fate. Pope.
  4. (Mil.) A violent assault on a fortified place; a furious attempt of troops to enter and take a fortified place by scaling the walls, forcing the gates, or the like. ✍ Storm is often used in the formation of self-explained compounds; as, storm-presaging, stormproof, storm-tossed, and the like. Syn. -- Tempest; violence; agitation; calamity. -- Storm, Tempest. Storm is violent agitation, a commotion of the elements by wind, etc., but not necessarily implying the fall of anything from the clouds. Hence, to call a mere fall or rain without wind a storm is a departure from the true sense of the word. A tempest is a sudden and violent storm, such as those common on the coast of Italy, where the term originated, and is usually attended by a heavy rain, with lightning and thunder.
    Storms beat, and rolls the main; O! beat those storms, and roll the seas, in vain. Pope.
    What at first was called a gust, the same Hath now a storm's, anon a tempest's name. Donne.
Storm transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Stormed ; present participle & verbal noun Storming
Definitions
  1. (Mil.) To assault; to attack, and attempt to take, by scaling walls, forcing gates, breaches, or the like; as, to storm a fortified town.
Storm intransitive verb
Etymology
Cf. AS. styrman.
Definitions
  1. To raise a tempest. Spenser.
  2. To blow with violence; also, to rain, hail, snow, or the like, usually in a violent manner, or with high wind; -- used impersonally; as, it storms.
  3. To rage; to be in a violent passion; to fume.
    The master storms, the lady scolds. Swift.

Webster 1913