Waterspout

Waterspout
Waterspout Wa"ter*spout`, n. A remarkable meteorological phenomenon, of the nature of a tornado or whirlwind, usually observed over the sea, but sometimes over the land. [1913 Webster]

Note: Tall columns, apparently of cloud, and reaching from the sea to the clouds, are seen moving along, often several at once, sometimes straight and vertical, at other times inclined and tortuous, but always in rapid rotation. At their bases, the sea is violently agitated and heaped up with a leaping or boiling motion, water, at least in some cases, being actually carried up in considerable quantity, and scattered round from a great height, as solid bodies are by tornadoes on land. --Sir J. Herschel. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • waterspout — late 14c., drainpipe, from WATER (Cf. water) (n.1) + SPOUT (Cf. spout). Meaning whirlwind on open water is recorded from 1738 …   Etymology dictionary

  • waterspout — *whirlwind, cyclone, typhoon, hurricane, tornado, twister …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • waterspout — ► NOUN ▪ a rotating column of water and spray formed by a whirlwind occurring over the sea or other body of water …   English terms dictionary

  • waterspout — [wôt′ərspout΄] n. 1. a hole, pipe, or spout from which water runs 2. a) a whirling funnel shaped or tubelike column of air full of spray occurring over water, usually in tropical areas, often comparable in intensity to a dust devil b) Rare a… …   English World dictionary

  • Waterspout — A waterspout is an intense columnar vortex (usually appearing as a funnel shaped cloud) that occurs over a body of water and is connected to a cumuliform cloud. In the common form, it is a nonsupercell tornado over water, and brings the water… …   Wikipedia

  • waterspout — /waw teuhr spowt , wot euhr /, n. 1. Also called rainspout. a pipe running down the side of a house or other building to carry away water from the gutter of the roof. 2. a spout, duct, or the like, from which water is discharged. 3. a funnel… …   Universalium

  • waterspout — vandens viesulas statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Stiprus, nedidelį plotą apimantis oro sūkurys su beveik vertikalia ašimi virš jūrų ir vandenų. atitikmenys: angl. waterspout vok. Wasserhose, f rus. водяной смерч, m …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • waterspout — noun Date: 14th century 1. a pipe, duct, or orifice from which water is spouted or through which it is carried 2. a funnel shaped or tubular column of rotating cloud filled wind usually extending from the underside of a cumulus or cumulonimbus… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • waterspout — noun a) a tornado that occurs over a body of water b) a channel through which water is discharged, especially from the gutters of a roof …   Wiktionary

  • waterspout — Synonyms and related words: baguio, beak, brash, burst of rain, cloudburst, cyclone, deluge, downfall, downflow, downpour, downspout, drencher, dust devil, flood, gargoyle, gushing rain, heavy rain, plash, pour, rainburst, rainspout, rainstorm,… …   Moby Thesaurus

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