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cloud

Pronunciation: /klaʊd/
Translate cloud | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of cloud

noun

  • 1a visible mass of condensed watery vapour floating in the atmosphere, typically high above the general level of the ground:the sun had disappeared behind a cloud [mass noun]:the sky was almost free of cloud
  • an indistinct or billowing mass, especially of smoke or dust:a cloud of dust
  • a large number of insects or birds moving together:clouds of orange butterflies
  • an opaque patch within a transparent substance.
  • 2used to refer to a state or cause of gloom, suspicion, trouble, or worry:the only cloud on the immediate horizon is raising a mortgage
  • a frowning or depressed look:a cloud passed over Jessica’s face
  • 3 (usually the cloud) Computing a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet and used to store, manage, and process data in place of local servers or personal computers:there’s a rich, complex, shared data store in the cloud [as modifier]:once you are logged in to your cloud storage space, you can upload files to it and share them with others

verb

  • 1 [no object] (of the sky) become overcast or gloomy:the blue skies clouded over abruptly
  • [with object] darken (the sky) with cloud:the western sky was still clouded
  • 2make or become less clear or transparent: [with object]:blood pumped out, clouding the water [no object]:her eyes clouded with tears
  • [with object] make (a matter or mental process) unclear or uncertain:don’t allow your personal feelings to cloud your judgement
  • [with object] spoil (something):the general election was clouded by violence
  • 3 [no object] (of someone’s face or eyes) show an emotion such as worry, sorrow, or anger:his expression clouded over
  • [with object] (of an emotion such as worry, sorrow, or anger) show in (someone’s face):suspicion clouded her face

Phrases

every cloud has a silver lining

see silver.

in the clouds

out of touch with reality:this clergyman was in the clouds

on cloud nine (or seven)

extremely happy: I was on cloud nine once I had completed it
[with reference to a ten-part classification of clouds in which ‘nine’ was next to the highest]

under a cloud

under suspicion or discredited: he left under something of a cloud, accused of misappropriating funds

with one's head in the clouds

(of a person) out of touch with reality; daydreaming: he’s always got his head in the clouds

Derivatives

cloudless

adjective

cloudlessly

adverb

cloudlet

noun

Origin:

Old English clūd 'mass of rock or earth'; probably related to clot. sense 1 of the noun dates from Middle English

cloud in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of cloud in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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