tempest definition - Dictionary

Dictionary

tem·pest [ témpəst ] (plural tem·pests)

noun

Definition:

1. emotional upheaval: a severe commotion or disturbance, especially an emotional upheaval

2. storm: a severe storm with very high winds and often rain, hail, or snow ( literary )

[13th century. Via French< Latin tempestas< tempus "time"]

a tempest in a teapot a commotion raised about an unimportant matter

Cultural Note


	The Tempest, a play (1611) by English dramatist William Shakespeare. An elaborate blend of comedy, drama, and fantasy, it is set on an enchanted island where Prospero, rightful duke of Milan, has lived since being usurped by his brother Antonio. Using his magical powers, Prospero conjures up a storm that forces Antonio and his companions onto the island, paving the way for an ingenious reconciliation. The word sea-change, meaning a change caused by the sea and, figuratively, a major transformation, comes from Act I, Scene ii of this play: "Nothing of him that doth fade,/ But doth suffer a sea-change/ Into something rich and strange.".