stormy petrel
/'stɔ:mi,petrəl/ Cách viết khác : (storm-petrel) /'stɔ:m,petrəl/ (storm-bird) /'stɔ:mbə:
Definition
- Noun:
- A seabird: A stormy petrel is a small, sooty-black seabird with distinctive white markings, belonging to the family Hydrobatidae. It is known for its habit of flying close to the ocean's surface, often in stormy weather.
- A harbinger of trouble: Figuratively, a "stormy petrel" is a person whose arrival or presence is thought to signal coming conflict, unrest, or trouble.
Usage Examples
- Literal (Bird):
- We spotted a stormy petrel skimming the waves just before the squall hit.
- The stormy petrel is also commonly known as the Mother Carey's chicken.
- Figurative (Person):
- The new activist was seen as a stormy petrel, her speeches always stirring up controversy.
- In political circles, he had a reputation as a stormy petrel, his visits often preceding major policy upheavals.
Advanced Usage
- "To be a stormy petrel": To be a person who habitually or unintentionally causes or foreshadows discord.
- As a journalist, she became a stormy petrel, her investigations consistently leading to scandals.
Variants and Related Words
- Storm-petrel (n): An alternative spelling and common name for the bird.
- Hydrobatidae (n): The scientific family name for storm petrels.
- Mother Carey's chicken (n): A traditional sailor's name for the stormy petrel.
Synonyms
- Harbinger: A person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another (for the figurative sense).
- Omen: An event regarded as a portent of good or evil.
- Seabird: A general term for birds that live on or near the sea.
Idioms and Phrases
- A stormy petrel: Used directly as an idiom to describe a troublesome or ominous person.
- Ever since he joined the committee, he's been a real stormy petrel.
Noun
-
sooty black petrel with white markings; of the northern Atlantic and Mediterranean
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