storm cloud
storm cloud — 名詞
1. A thick, dark mass of vapour in the sky that signals an approaching storm, often
風暴雲
暴風雨來臨前的烏雲
A thick, dark mass of vapour in the sky that signals an approaching storm, often bringing wind and heavy rain as it moves in.
Hugo watched dark storm clouds roll across the plains as the afternoon light faded.
Hugo 看著暗色的風暴雲在平原上翻滾，午後的光線逐漸暗了下來。
collocation: storm clouds roll across
The farmer checked the sky and saw heavy storm clouds building to the west.
農夫望了望天空，看到西邊正堆起厚重的風暴雲。
collocation: storm clouds building
Tamar pulled on her raincoat when thick storm clouds blocked out the morning sun.
Tamar 穿上了雨衣，因為厚厚的風暴雲遮住了早晨的陽光。
Storm clouds filled the sky above the village, and the air grew very still.
風暴雲布滿了村莊上方的天空，空氣變得很沉寂。
Omar could smell rain in the wind as the first storm clouds reached the coast.
Omar 在第一波風暴雲抵達海邊時，就聞到風中的雨水味。
- thundercloud
more specific — a cloud that produces thunder and lightning
- rain cloud
more general — any cloud that brings rain, not necessarily a storm
- nimbus
technical term from meteorology; rare in everyday speech
- clear sky
a sky with no clouds at all
用法筆記
This literal sense often appears with verbs describing movement or approach: gather, roll in, build up, block out, fill the sky.
常見錯誤
2. A sign that serious problems, conflict, or difficult times are developing and wi
風暴徵兆
即將發生的麻煩或動亂
A sign that serious problems, conflict, or difficult times are developing and will affect a situation soon — for example, political unrest, an economic crisis, or growing tension between groups.
Storm clouds of protest gathered after the government announced the new tax law.
政府宣布新稅法後，抗議的風暴徵兆逐漸浮現。
collocation: storm clouds of protest gathered
The CEO saw storm clouds on the horizon after sales fell for three months.
執行長在銷售連續三個月下滑後，看到了不祥的風暴徵兆。
idiom: see storm clouds on the horizon
Political storm clouds formed as the two leaders refused to meet for peace talks.
兩位領袖拒絕會面進行和談，政治風暴徵兆於焉形成。
Renata sensed storm clouds of trouble when her team started missing important deadlines.
Renata 在她團隊開始錯過重要截止日期時，嗅到了麻煩的風暴徵兆。
Dark storm clouds of war hung over the region as troops gathered near the border.
戰爭的暗色風暴籠罩了邊境地區，部隊紛紛集結在邊界附近。
- warning sign
more general and practical; used in everyday contexts
- omen
carries a superstitious or fateful tone; not limited to large-scale trouble
- harbinger
formal and literary; often personifies the thing that announces what is coming
- red flag
informal idiom for a clear signal that something is wrong
- good omen
a sign that positive things lie ahead
- silver lining
a hopeful side to a difficult situation
文法句型
storm clouds of + [abstract noun]
用法筆記
The figurative sense is almost always plural (storm clouds) and typically followed by of + an abstract noun such as war, protest, recession, or trouble. Common verb partners include gather, loom, form, hang over, and appear on the horizon.