I. ˈtempə̇st noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English tempeste, tempest, from Old French tempeste, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin tempesta, alteration of Latin tempestas period of time, season, weather, storm, from tempus time — more at temporal
1.
a. : an extensive violent wind ; especially : one accompanied by rain, hail, or snow : a furious storm
a real tempest blowing that had been rising for two or three days — Mary Webb
b. dialect : thunderstorm
2. : a violent commotion or agitation — tumult, uproar
a tempest of applause
a tempest of tears
a political tempest
raised a tempest of derision — T.B.Macaulay
seek frantically for anchors amid the tempests of our time — Ben Bradford
3. archaic
a. : a noisy confused throng
b. : a fashionable assembly or reception : rout II 4
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English tempesten, from Middle French tempester, from tempeste, n.
transitive verb
1. : to raise commotion in : stir up : agitate
the huge dolphin tempesting the main — Alexander Pope
2. archaic : to disturb by emotional outbursts : upset
his house is tempested by female eloquence — Thomas Campbell
intransitive verb
: to cause a commotion like a tempest : rage , storm
she tempested out — W.D.Howells