sand-storm

A sand-storm sweeps across the desert.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A meteorological phenomenon: "sand-storm" refers to a strong wind that carries sand through the air, typically occurring in desert or arid regions where loose sand is abundant. It reduces visibility and can cause erosion or damage.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The travelers were caught in a severe sand-storm that lasted for hours. (A strong wind carrying sand over a long period.)
  • A sand-storm can bury vehicles and damage crops in dry areas. (The destructive effect of this weather event.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be in a sand-storm": to be experiencing or caught within such a storm.

  • The expedition was in a sand-storm for three days, unable to move forward. (The group was trapped in the storm.)

• "to kick up a sand-storm": to create or stir up a cloud of sand, often metaphorically.

  • The jeep's tires kicked up a sand-storm as it sped across the dune. (The vehicle created a visible cloud of sand.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sandstorm (n): a variant spelling without the hyphen, equally common.
  • The news reported a massive sandstorm approaching the city. (Same meaning as sand-storm.)
• Sand (n): loose granular material from weathered rocks.
• Storm (n): a violent disturbance of the atmosphere.

Synonyms

• Dust storm: a similar phenomenon where fine dust, rather than sand, is carried by the wind.
• Haboob: a specific type of intense sandstorm or duststorm common in Sudan and the southwestern United States.

Related Idioms

• To weather the sand-storm: to endure a difficult or chaotic situation.
  • The company had to weather the sand-storm of bad publicity. (To survive a period of trouble, using the storm as a metaphor.)

Note: No phrasal verbs or compound words with "sand-storm" as a base are commonly used in English.