Emily Dickinson Lexicon

STORM, n. [Sax. storm; D. Dan. and Sw. storm; G. sturm; W. ystorm; D. stooren, to disturb; W. ystwriaw, Eng. to stir. In Italian, stormo is a fight, combat, a band or troop; stormire, to make a noise; stormeggiare, to throng together, to ring the alarm bell. The Italian seems to be from L. turma. 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.