STORM, n. [G., to disturb. L. The primary sense of storm is a rushing, raging or violent agitation.[

1. A violent wind; a tempest. Thus a storm of wind, is correct language, as the proper sense of the word is rushing, violence. It has primarily no reference fall of rain or I snow. But as a violent wind is often attended with rain or I snow, the word storm has come to be used, most improperly, for a fall of rain or snow without wind. O beat those storms, and roll the seas in vain. – Pope.
2. A violent assault on a fortified place; a furious attempt of troops to enter and take a fortified place by sealing the walls, forcing the gates and the like. – Dryden.
3. Violent civil or political commotion; sedition; insurrection; also, clamor; tumult; disturbance of the public peace. I will stir up in England some black storms. – Shak. Her sister / Began to scold and raise up such a storm. – Shak.
4. Affliction; calamity; distress; adversity. A brave man struggling in the storms of fate. – Pope.
5. Violence; vehemence; tumultuous force. – Hooker.

1. To raise a tempest. – Spenser.
2. To blow with violence; impersonally; as, it storms.
3. To rage; to be in a violent agitation of passion; to fume. The master storms.

To assault; to attack and attempt to take by scaling the walls, forcing gates or breaches and the like; as, to storm a fortified town.

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. To assault] to attack, and attempt to take, by scaling walls, forcing gates, breaches, or the like; as, to storm a fortified town.
3. To raise a tempest.
   
   
   Spenser.
4. A substance, C₁₄H₂₂O₂NCl, the hydrochloride of an amino compound containing benzol, used, in solution with strychnine, as a local anæsthetic, esp. by injection into the sheath of the spinal cord, producing anæsthesia below the point of introduction.
5. 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.

6. 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.
7. A heavy shower or fall, any adverse outburst of tumultuous force; violence.
   
   

   A brave man struggling in the storms of fate. Pope.

8. To rage; to be in a violent passion; to fume.
   
   

   The master storms, the lady scolds. Swift.

9. 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.

   Magnetic storm. See under Magnetic. -- Storm-and-stress period [a translation of G. sturm und drang periode], a designation given to the literary agitation and revolutionary development in Germany under the lead of Goethe and Schiller in the latter part of the 18th century. -- Storm center (Meteorol.), the center of the area covered by a storm, especially by a storm of large extent. -- Storm door (Arch.), an extra outside door to prevent the entrance of wind, cold, rain, etc.; -- usually removed in summer. -- Storm path (Meteorol.), the course over which a storm, or storm center, travels. -- Storm petrel. (Zoöl.) See Stormy petrel, under Petrel. -- Storm sail (Naut.), any one of a number of strong, heavy sails that are bent and set in stormy weather. -- Storm scud. See the Note under Cloud.

   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.