Advertisement

Origin and history of stour

stour(n.)

c. 1300, stoure, "tumult, armed conflict, struggle with adversity or pain," from Anglo-French estur, Old French estour "a tumult, conflict, assault, shock, battle," a Germanic word, from Proto-Germanic *sturmaz "storm" (source also of Old High German sturm "storm; battle;" see storm (n.)). It was revived by Spenser and his imitators in various senses; also surviving as a Scottish and Northern English word meaning "a (driving) storm" or "uproar, commotion." Italian stormo also is from Germanic.

also from c. 1300

Entries linking to stour

storm(n.)

Old English storm "tempest, violent disturbance of the atmosphere," often accompanied by high winds, rain, etc.; also "onrush, attack; tumult; disturbance," from Proto-Germanic *sturmaz "storm" (source also of Old Norse stormr, Old Saxon, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch, Dutch storm, Old High German sturm, German Sturm).

This is considered to be from PIE *stur-mo-, from root *(s)twer- (1) "to turn, whirl." Old French estour "onset, tumult," Italian stormo "a fight" are Germanic loan-words. Also compare stour (n.).

The figurative senses begin in late Old English: "disturbance, convulsion" in civil, political, social, or domestic life. Also in late Old English as "tumultuous flight or descent of hurled objects." The figurative meaning "tumultuous onrush" (of tears, indignation, etc.) is from c. 1600.

To take (something) by storm (1680s) is from the military sense (for which see storm (v.)). The U.S. colloquial adverbial phrase _______ up a storm, meaning to do the indicated action with violent or vehement energy, is from 1946.

Storm-wind "wind of a storm" is from 1798. Storm-door "outer or additional door to protect from inclement weather" is recorded by 1872; storm-window in a similar sense is attested from 1824. Storm-cellar, for protection in violent storms, is by 1887, American English. Storm-water "water from a storm" is from 1847; the coastal storm-surge is attested from 1872.

Storm-tossed (adj.) is from 1610s. Storm-bird for the petrel is by 1752. Storm-cloud, one that brings or threatens a storm, is by 1793.

    Advertisement

    More to explore

    saute
    "a dish cooked by being fried in a pan over high heat," 1813, from French sauté, literally "jumped, bounced" (in reference to tossing continually while cooking), past participle of sauter "to jump," from Latin saltare "to hop, dance," frequentative of salire "to leap" (see salien
    nightingale
    "small migratory bird of the Old World, noted for the male's melodious song, heard by night as well as day," Middle English nighte-gale, from Old English næctigalæ, in late Old English nihtegale, a compound formed in Proto-Germanic (compare Dutch nachtegaal, German Nachtigall) fr
    auditorium
    "part of a public building where people gather to hear speeches, etc.," 1727, from Latin auditorium "a lecture-room," literally "place where something is heard," in Medieval Latin especially "a reception room in a monastery," noun use of neuter of auditorius (adj.) "of or for hea
    Stepin Fetchit
    type of stereotypical Black roles in Hollywood, or in popular culture generally, from the stage name of popular Black vaudeville actor Lincoln Theodore Perry (1902-1985), who first appeared in films under that name in "In Old Kentucky" (1927). Perry said he took the name from a r
    energy
    1590s, "force of expression," from French énergie (16c.), from Late Latin energia, from Greek energeia "activity, action, operation," from energos "active, working," from en "at" (see en- (2)) + -ergos "that works," from ergon "work, that which is wrought; business; action" (from
    decide
    late 14c., "to settle a dispute, determine a controversy," from Old French decider, from Latin decidere "to decide, determine," literally "to cut off," from de "off" (see de-) + caedere "to cut" (from PIE root *kae-id- "to strike"). For Latin vowel change, see acquisition. Sense
    pamphlet
    "small, unbound treatise," late 14c., pamflet, "brief written text; poem, tract, small book," from Anglo-Latin panfletus, which probably is a popular short form of "Pamphilus, seu de Amore" ("Pamphilus, or about Love"), a short 12c. Latin love poem popular and widely copied in th
    accord
    early 12c., "come into agreement," also "agree, be in harmony," from Old French acorder "agree, be in harmony" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *accordare "make agree," literally "be of one heart, bring heart to heart," from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + cor (genitive cordis) "heart" (used
    crucial
    1706, "cross-shaped, having the form of an X," from French crucial, a medical term for ligaments of the interior of the knee-joint (which cross each other), from Latin crux (genitive crucis) "cross" (see crux). The meaning "decisive, critical, finally disproving one of two altern
    resolution
    late 14c., resolucioun, "a breaking or reducing into parts; process of breaking up, dissolution," from Old French resolution (14c.) and directly from Latin resolutionem (nominative resolutio) "process of reducing things into simpler forms," noun of action from past-participle ste

    Share stour

    Advertisement
    Trending
    Dictionary entries near stour
    Advertisement