The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Storm \Storm\, n. [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). [root]166.]
   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.
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            We hear this fearful tempest sing,
            Yet seek no shelter to avoid the storm. --Shak.
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   2. A violent agitation of human society; a civil, political,
      or domestic commotion; sedition, insurrection, or war;
      violent outbreak; clamor; tumult.
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            I will stir up in England some black storm. --Shak.
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            Her sister
            Began to scold and raise up such a storm. --Shak.
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   3. A heavy shower or fall, any adverse outburst of tumultuous
      force; violence.
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            A brave man struggling in the storms of fate.
                                                  --Pope.
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   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.
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   Note: Storm is often used in the formation of self-explained
         compounds; as, storm-presaging, stormproof,
         storm-tossed, and the like.
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   Anticyclonic storm (Meteor.), a storm characterized by a
      central area of high atmospheric pressure, and having a
      system of winds blowing spirally outward in a direction
      contrary to that cyclonic storms. It is attended by low
      temperature, dry air, infrequent precipitation, and often
      by clear sky. Called also high-area storm,
      anticyclone. When attended by high winds, snow, and
      freezing temperatures such storms have various local
      names, as blizzard, wet norther, purga, buran,
      etc.

   Cyclonic storm. (Meteor.) A cyclone, or low-area storm. See
      Cyclone, above.

   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. (Zool.) 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.
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   Syn: Tempest; violence; agitation; calamity.

   Usage: 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.
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                Storms beat, and rolls the main;
                O! beat those storms, and roll the seas, in
                vain.                             --Pope.
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                What at first was called a gust, the same
                Hath now a storm's, anon a tempest's name.
                                                  --Donne.
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