tempest

noun

1. a violent windstorm, especially one with rain, hail, or snow.
2. a violent commotion, disturbance, or tumult.

verb (used with object)

3. to affect by or as by a tempest; disturb violently.

Idioms

4. tempest in a teacup. teacup(def 3).

noun

1. a comedy (1611) by Shakespeare.

noun

1. mainly literary a violent wind or storm
2. a violent commotion, uproar, or disturbance

verb

3. (tr) poetic to agitate or disturb violently

n.“violent storm,” mid-13c., from Old French tempeste (11c.), from Vulgar Latin *tempesta, from Latin tempestas (genitive tempestatis) “storm, weather, season,” also “commotion, disturbance,” related to tempus “time, season” (see temporal). Sense evolution is from “period of time” to “period of weather,” to “bad weather” to “storm.” Words for “weather” were originally words for “time” in languages from Russia to Brittany. Figurative sense of “violent commotion” is recorded from early 14c.