Meteorologya white or gray mass of particles of water or ice in the air:The clouds blocked the sun.
any similar mass, esp. of smoke or dust:clouds of smoke.
a great number of insects, etc., flying in a group that resembles such a mass.
anything that causes fear, suspicion, etc.:Everyone could see the clouds of war beginning to gather.
v.
to cover with or as if with clouds: [~ + object]Steam had clouded the mirror.[no object]The mirror clouded with steam.
to make sad or gloomy:[~ + object]The death of her father clouded the publication of her book.
[~ + object] to confuse; make hard to understand: Don't try to cloud the issue with unnecessary details.
to reveal distress, anxiety, etc., in (a part of one's face): [~ + object]Worry clouded his brow.[no object* ~ (+ over)]Her brow clouded (over) with anger.
Idioms
Idiomshave one's head in the clouds:
to be lost in thought; be daydreaming.
to be impractical.
Idioms, Informal Termson a cloud or on cloud nine, [be + ~] very happy; in high spirits:I was on cloud nine when she said she would marry me.
Idiomsunder a cloud, in disgrace; under suspicion:He's still under a cloud from his earlier conviction for robbery.
7.See corresponding entry in UnabridgedCloud,fog,haze,mist differ somewhat in their figurative uses. Cloud connotes esp. daydreaming:His mind is in the clouds.Fog and haze connote esp. bewilderment or confusion:to go around in a fog(haze). Mist has an emotional connotation and suggests tears:a mist in one's eyes.
14.See corresponding entry in Unabridged muddle, distort.
a mass of water or ice particles visible in the sky, usually white or grey, from which rain or snow falls when the particles coagulate See alsocirrus, cumulonimbus, cumulus, stratus
any collection of particles visible in the air, esp of smoke or dust
something that darkens, threatens, or carries gloom
a cloudlike blemish in a transparent stone
the cloud ⇒ the network of remote servers used in cloud computing
(modifier)of or relating to cloud computing: a cloud application
in the clouds ⇒ not in contact with reality
on cloud nine ⇒ elated; very happy
under a cloud ⇒ under reproach or suspicion
in a state of gloom or bad temper
whenintr, often followed by over or up: to make or become cloudy, overcast, or indistinct
(transitive)to make obscure; darken
to make or become gloomy or depressed
(transitive)to place under or render liable to suspicion or disgrace
to render (liquids) milky or dull or (of liquids) to become milky or dull
Etymology: 13th Century (in the sense: a mass of vapour): from Old English clūd rock, hill; probably related to clodˈcloudlessˈcloudlesslyˈcloudlessness
'cloud over' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):