What does cloud mean?

Definitions for cloud
klaʊdcloud

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word cloud.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. cloudnoun

    any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible

  2. cloudnoun

    a visible mass of water or ice particles suspended at a considerable altitude

  3. cloudnoun

    out of touch with reality

    "his head was in the clouds"

  4. cloudnoun

    a cause of worry or gloom or trouble

    "the only cloud on the horizon was the possibility of dissent by the French"

  5. cloudnoun

    suspicion affecting your reputation

    "after that mistake he was under a cloud"

  6. swarm, cloudverb

    a group of many things in the air or on the ground

    "a swarm of insects obscured the light"; "clouds of blossoms"; "it discharged a cloud of spores"

  7. overcast, cloudverb

    make overcast or cloudy

    "Fall weather often overcasts our beaches"

  8. obscure, befog, becloud, obnubilate, haze over, fog, cloud, mistverb

    make less visible or unclear

    "The stars are obscured by the clouds"; "the big elm tree obscures our view of the valley"

  9. cloudverb

    billow up in the form of a cloud

    "The smoke clouded above the houses"

  10. cloudverb

    make gloomy or depressed

    "Their faces were clouded with sadness"

  11. defile, sully, corrupt, taint, cloudverb

    place under suspicion or cast doubt upon

    "sully someone's reputation"

  12. cloudverb

    make less clear

    "the stroke clouded memories of her youth"

  13. mottle, dapple, cloudverb

    colour with streaks or blotches of different shades

  14. cloudverb

    make milky or dull

    "The chemical clouded the liquid to which it was added"

Wiktionary

  1. cloudnoun

    A rock; boulder; a hill.

  2. cloudnoun

    A visible mass of water droplets suspended in the air.

  3. cloudnoun

    Any mass of dust, steam or smoke resembling such a mass.

  4. cloudnoun

    Anything which makes things foggy or gloomy.

  5. cloudnoun

    A group or swarm, especially suspended above the ground or flying.

    He opened the door and was greeted by a cloud of bats.

  6. cloudnoun

    An elliptical shape or symbol whose outline is a series of semicircles, supposed to resemble a cloud.

    The comic-book character's thoughts appeared in a cloud above his head.

  7. cloudnoun

    The Internet, regarded as an amorphous omnipresent space for processing and storage, the focus of cloud computing.

  8. cloudnoun

    A negative aspect of something positive: see every cloud has a silver lining or every silver lining has a cloud.

  9. cloudnoun

    crystal methamphetamine

  10. cloudverb

    To become foggy or gloomy, to become obscured from sight.

  11. cloudverb

    To make obscure (e.g. to cloud the issue).

  12. Etymology: From cloud, cloude, clod, clud, clude, from clud, from klūtaz, from gel-. Cognate with cloud, clud, kluit, kluut, klute, kloot, Kloß, klode, klot, klót. Related to clod, clot.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. A CLOUDnoun

    Etymology: The derivation is not known. John Minsheu derives it from claudo, to shut; Somner from clod; Casaubin from αχλὺς, darkness; Stephen Skinner from kladde, Dutch, a spot.

    Now are the clouds that lower’d upon our house,
    In the deep bosom of the ocean buried. William Shakespeare, Rich. III.

    As a mist is a multitude of small but solid globules, which therefore descend; so a vapour, and therefore a watry cloud, is nothing else but a congeries of very small and concave globules, which therefore ascend, to that height in which they are of equal weight with the air, where they remain suspended, ’till, by some motion in the air, being broken, they descend in solid drops; either small, as in a mist, or bigger, when many of them run together, as in rain. Nehemiah Grew, Cosmol.

    Clouds are the greatest and most considerable of all the meteors, as furnishing water and plenty to the earth. They consist of very small drops of water, and are elevated a good distance above the surface of the earth; for a cloud is nothing but a mist flying high in the air, as a mist is nothing but a cloud here below. John Locke, Elem. Nat. Philos.

    How vapours, turn’d to clouds, obscure the sky;
    And clouds, dissolv’d, the thirsty ground supply. Wentworth Dillon.

    Tho’ poets may of inspiration boast,
    Their rage, ill govern’d, in the clouds is lost. Edmund Waller.

    How can I see the brave and young,
    Fall in the cloud of war, and fall unsung? Addison.

    The objection comes to no more than this, that amongst a cloud of witnesses, there was one of no very good reputation. Francis Atterbury.

  2. To Cloudverb

    Etymology: from the noun.

    What sullen fury clouds his scornful brow. Alexander Pope, Statius.

    If men would not exhale vapours to cloud and darken the clearest truths, no man could miss his way to heaven for want of light. Decay of Piety.

    The handle smooth and plain,
    Made of the clouded olive’s easy grain. Alexander Pope, Odyssey.

  3. To Cloudverb

    To grow cloudy; to grow dark with clouds.

Wikipedia

  1. Cloud

    In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of minute liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may compose the droplets and crystals. On Earth, clouds are formed as a result of saturation of the air when it is cooled to its dew point, or when it gains sufficient moisture (usually in the form of water vapor) from an adjacent source to raise the dew point to the ambient temperature. They are seen in the Earth's homosphere (which includes the troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere). Nephology is the science of clouds, which is undertaken in the cloud physics branch of meteorology. The two methods of naming clouds in their respective layers of the atmosphere are Latin and common. Cloud types in the troposphere, the atmospheric layer closest to Earth's surface, have Latin names due to the universal adoption of Luke Howard's nomenclature. Formally proposed in 1802, it became the basis of a modern international system that divides clouds into five physical forms that appear in any or all of three altitude levels (formerly known as étages). These physical types, in approximate ascending order of convective activity, include stratiform sheets, cirriform wisps and patches, stratocumuliform layers (mainly structured as rolls, ripples, and patches), cumuliform heaps, and very large cumulonimbiform heaps that often show complex structures. The physical forms are divided by altitude level into 10 basic genus-types. The Latin names for applicable high-level genera in the troposphere carry a cirro- prefix, and an alto- prefix is added to the names of the mid-level genus-types. Clouds with sufficient vertical extent to occupy more than one altitude level are officially classified as low- or mid-level according to the altitude range at which each initially forms. However they are also more informally classified as multi-level or vertical, which along with low level clouds, do not carry any altitude related prefixes. Most of the genera can be subdivided into species and further subdivided into varieties. Very low stratiform clouds that extend down to the Earth's surface are given the common names fog and mist, but have no Latin names. Several clouds that form higher up in the stratosphere and mesosphere have common names for their main types. They are seen infrequently, mostly in the polar regions of Earth. Clouds have been observed in the atmospheres of other planets and moons in the Solar System and beyond. However, due to their different temperature characteristics, they are often composed of other substances such as methane, ammonia, and sulfuric acid, as well as water. The tabular overview that follows is very broad in scope. It draws from several methods of cloud classification, both formal and informal, used in different levels of the Earth's homosphere by a number of cited authorities. A cross-classifation of form and level is used to derive the 10 tropospheric genera, the fog and mist that forms at surface level, and several additional major types above the troposphere. The cumulus genus includes four species that indicate vertical size and structure. This table should therefore not be seen as a strict or singular classification, but as an illustration of how various major cloud types are related to each other and defined through a full range of altitude levels from Earth's surface to the "edge of space".

ChatGPT

  1. cloud

    A cloud, in the context of atmospheric science, is a visible mass of condensed water vapor or ice particles suspended in the atmosphere above the Earth's surface. These can form in various shapes and sizes, ranging from thin wisps to dense, towering formations, depending on the atmospheric conditions. On the other hand, in the context of technology and computing, a cloud refers to a system that stores data in servers and delivers software or services over the internet, typically on a pay-per-use basis. The servers can be located anywhere in the world and can be accessed remotely. Examples include cloud storage services, cloud computing platforms, and software-as-a-service applications.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Cloudnoun

    a collection of visible vapor, or watery particles, suspended in the upper atmosphere

  2. Cloudnoun

    a mass or volume of smoke, or flying dust, resembling vapor

  3. Cloudnoun

    a dark vein or spot on a lighter material, as in marble; hence, a blemish or defect; as, a cloud upon one's reputation; a cloud on a title

  4. Cloudnoun

    that which has a dark, lowering, or threatening aspect; that which temporarily overshadows, obscures, or depresses; as, a cloud of sorrow; a cloud of war; a cloud upon the intellect

  5. Cloudnoun

    a great crowd or multitude; a vast collection

  6. Cloudnoun

    a large, loosely-knitted scarf, worn by women about the head

  7. Cloudverb

    to overspread or hide with a cloud or clouds; as, the sky is clouded

  8. Cloudverb

    to darken or obscure, as if by hiding or enveloping with a cloud; hence, to render gloomy or sullen

  9. Cloudverb

    to blacken; to sully; to stain; to tarnish; to damage; -- esp. used of reputation or character

  10. Cloudverb

    to mark with, or darken in, veins or sports; to variegate with colors; as, to cloud yarn

  11. Cloudverb

    to grow cloudy; to become obscure with clouds; -- often used with up

  12. Etymology: [Prob. fr. AS. cld a rock or hillock, the application arising from the frequent resemblance of clouds to rocks or hillocks in the sky or air.]

Wikidata

  1. Cloud

    In meteorology, a cloud is a visible mass of liquid droplets or frozen crystals made of water or various chemicals suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of a planetary body. These suspended particles are also known as aerosols. Clouds in Earth's atmosphere are studied in the cloud physics branch of meteorology. Two processes, possibly acting together, can lead to air becoming saturated; cooling the air or adding water vapor to the air. In general, precipitation will fall to the surface; an exception is virga, which evaporates before reaching the surface. The international cloud classification system is based on the fact that clouds in their most basic forms can show free-convective upward growth like cumulus, appear in non-convective layered sheets such as stratus, or take the form of thin fibrous wisps, as in the case of cirrus. Prefixes are used in connection with clouds to express variations or complexities in these basic forms or to specify middle or high altitude ranges. These include strato- for low clouds with limited convection that form mostly in uneven layers, cumulo- for complex highly-convective storm clouds, nimbo- for thick layered clouds of some complexity that can produce moderate to heavy precipitation, alto- for middle clouds, and cirro- for high clouds; the latter two of which may be of simple or moderately complex structure. Whether or not a cloud is low, middle, or high level depends on how far above the ground its base forms. Cloud types with significant vertical extent can form in the low or middle altitude ranges depending on the moisture content of the air. Clouds in the troposphere have Latin names due to the popular adaptation of Luke Howard's cloud categorization system, which began to spread in popularity during December 1802. Synoptic surface weather observations use code numbers to record and report the types of tropospheric cloud visible at each scheduled observation time based on the height and physical appearance of the clouds.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Cloud

    klowd, n. a mass of fog, consisting of minute particles of water, often in a frozen state, floating in the atmosphere: (fig.) anything unsubstantial: a great number or multitude of anything, as the New Test. 'cloud of witnesses:' anything that obscures, as a cloud: a dark spot on a lighter material: a great volume of dust or smoke: anything gloomy, overhanging, or bodeful.—v.t. to overspread with clouds: to darken: to defame: to stain with dark spots or streaks.—v.i. to become clouded or darkened.—ns. Cloud′age; Cloud′-berr′y, a low plant related to the bramble, found on elevated moors in Britain, with an orange-red berry of delightful flavour.—adj. Cloud′-built, made of clouds, unsubstantial.—n. Cloud′-burst, a sudden flood of rain over a small area.—adjs. Cloud′-capt (Shak.), capped with or touching the clouds; Cloud′-compel′ling, driving or collecting the clouds, an epithet of Jupiter; Cloud′ed, hidden by clouds: (fig.) darkened: indistinct: variegated with spots, as a 'clouded cane,' &c.—n. Cloud′ery.—adv. Cloud′ily.—ns. Cloud′iness; Cloud′ing, a cloudy appearance.—adj. growing dim.—adjs. Cloud′-kiss′ing (Shak.), touching the clouds; Cloud′less, unclouded, clear.—adv. Cloud′lessly.—n. Cloud′let, a little cloud.—adjs. Cloud′-topped, covered with or touching the clouds; Cloud′y, darkened with, or consisting of, clouds: obscure: gloomy: stained with dark spots: (coll.) 'shady.'—Wait till the clouds roll by, to wait for more favourable circumstances.—Under a cloud, in trouble or disfavour. [A.S. clúd, a hill, then a cloud, the root idea being a mass or ball. Clod and Clot are from the same root.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms

  1. cloud

    A collection of vapours suspended in the atmosphere. Also, under a cloud of canvas.

Editors Contribution

  1. cloudnoun

    Cloaking light out universal darkness. 0.) A metric unit of capacity, equal to one hundred of a liter floating vapors from minutes to seconds. 1.) A visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere, typically high above the ground. An indistinct or billowing mass; of water, smoke or dust. A vague patch of color in or on a liquid or transparent surface.

    Some clouds take form of a spaceship in our sky.

    Etymology: Divining levitation


    Submitted by Tehorah_Elyon on February 13, 2024  

Suggested Resources

  1. cloud

    Song lyrics by cloud -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by cloud on the Lyrics.com website.

Surnames Frequency by Census Records

  1. CLOUD

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Cloud is ranked #2478 in terms of the most common surnames in America.

    The Cloud surname appeared 14,555 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 would have the surname Cloud.

    68.8% or 10,017 total occurrences were White.
    17.2% or 2,509 total occurrences were Black.
    6.8% or 997 total occurrences were American Indian or Alaskan Native.
    3.4% or 496 total occurrences were of two or more races.
    3.2% or 469 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.
    0.4% or 68 total occurrences were Asian.

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'cloud' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #4412

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'cloud' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4556

  3. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'cloud' in Nouns Frequency: #1185

How to pronounce cloud?

How to say cloud in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of cloud in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of cloud in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of cloud in a Sentence

  1. Sherry Gilland:

    It has been a cloud over the town, but now its lifted.

  2. Elizabeth Dodson:

    Buy a scanner to scan all that paper. And find a mobile app to take pictures of that paper, so you can turn it into a digital record. Decide on a digital place to store this information, such as generic cloud platforms or specific digital home management platforms, you can even create a digital calendar that reminds you of important tasks, so you can eliminate the paper lists of to-dos. The end result is peace of mind in being digitally organized around everything in your home from remodel projects, maintenance and fix-it tasks, home finances, and all your home documents easily searchable and retrievable whenever you need it.

  3. Don Felder:

    Shortly after I moved to Los Angeles, I was looking for work, and I happened to be invited to Ray's studio and sat in and played on a couple of his demos. I didn't charge him a dime for it. I was on cloud nine to be working in the same room as Ray Charles, one of my huge idols.

  4. Michael Fey:

    But I get to focus on the cloud and the advanced threats space more, blue Coat had tremendous growth behind the scenes and now I get to focus on taking that growth and trying to get it to the billion-dollar revenue mark.

  5. Andrew Pincus:

    If by putting them in the cloud, you lose control over them and the government just gets access whenever it wants, nobody's going to do that.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

cloud#1#5621#10000

Translations for cloud

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