(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ is very bad weather, with heavy rain, strong winds, and often thunder and lightning.
...the violent ~s which whipped America’s East Coast.
N-COUNT
2.
If something causes a ~, it causes an angry or excited reaction from a large number of people.
The photos caused a ~ when they were first published...
...the ~ of publicity that Richard’s book had generated.
N-COUNT: oft N of n
3.
A ~ of applause or other noise is a sudden loud amount of it made by an audience or other group of people in reaction to something.
His speech was greeted with a ~ of applause...
N-COUNT: usu sing, usu N of n
4.
If you ~ into or out of a place, you enter or leave it quickly and noisily, because you are angry.
He ~ed into an office, demanding to know where the head of department was.
VERB: V adv/prep
5.
If a place that is being defended is ~ed, a group of people attack it, usually in order to get inside it.
Government buildings have been ~ed and looted...
The refugees decided to ~ the embassy.
VERB: be V-ed, V n
~ing
...the ~ing of the Bastille.
N-UNCOUNT: N of n
6.
see also fire~
7.
If someone or something takes a place by ~, they are extremely successful.
Kenya’s long distance runners have taken the athletics world by ~.
PHRASE: V inflects
8.
If someone weathers the ~, they succeed in reaching the end of a very difficult period without much harm or damage.
He insists he will not resign and will weather the ~.
PHRASE: V and N inflect
9.
a ~ in a teacup: see teacup