Unlike most other idioms, there’s not much room for improvisation with “the calm in the storm”. And by the early to mid-1900s, the phrase was so extensively used in speech and texts, it was already a cliché. The idiom became particularly common during the 1800s. Collaquintida: … but hush, no words there is calm before the tempest.In literature, its first-ever mention is believed to be in a play called “The Dumb Knight” in 1601. The expression has been used in texts and various other forms of correspondences for its literal meaning or trope since the 17th century. Using the Phrase “The Calm Before the Storm” in Texts But when the storm has no time to wait, it skips the calm and announces its presence forcefully by unleashing lousy weather. When the conditions are right (for the storm), a peaceful/eerie calm is most likely. Dropping temperatures, whip-like winds, rumbling thunder, etc., could also at times precede a storm. In other words, the air stabilizes and causes the “lull” or “calm” right before a storm. The air filling the emptiness is warm but considerably drier compared to the atmosphere that existed before. After that, air rushes through to fill up the void. When a storm approaches, it attracts all air around it, leaving behind a low-pressure vacuum. For a storm to manifest itself or get fueled, moist, warm air is needed. There’s scientific reasoning or weather science behind the phenomenon.Ī storm is essentially a disturbing environmental state, implying severe weather conditions. Things becoming weirdly quiet right before an imminent storm is no figment of the imagination. Why Does It Become “Calm” Before the Storm? The next time a storm announcement is made in your region, look out for these pre-storm indications. After a brief moment, the dark clouds shall start to roll in, and things will slowly but surely begin to gather momentum and pace. The birds will stop chirping, the wind won’t blow, there won’t be any downpour (yet), roads will be deserted (likely because everybody watches the news), etc. If you observe the weather in your region before an impending storm, the same serenity can be felt. The phrase originates from sailors’ observations of an ocean’s weather becoming uncannily calm before a storm hits.Īnd it’s not so only at sea. The expression “the calm before the storm” has its backstory, and unsurprisingly, the adage has connections with the sea and sailors. Origin of the Phrase “The Calm Before the Storm” Kindly note not all of the phrases mentioned above are recognized or established idioms. The peaceful atmosphere before a crisis.Phrases that do not use the word “storm” but have a similar meaning are” Phrases or words that are synonymous with/related to or can be used in place of “the calm before the storm” include: Like the storm that’s not a regular phenomenon, a heated problem after a comparative lull is not the norm. It’s perfectly alright for a relatively calm situation to not blow up or go out of control. Not every period or moment of calm is followed by a storm, however. The “storm” is either anticipated or not expected at all. The idiom “calm before the storm” denotes the “peaceful or quiet phase before a contrasting phase or period during which there’s great commotion”. If you’re not sure how and when to use the phrase in your sentences, learn more about the origin or how the idiom was conceived in the first place, etc., keep reading. The expression is quite commonly used but, as mentioned above, mostly in the figurative sense. But the literal usage is not as common, except if you live in a storm-prone region. The saying can be used both symbolically and plainly. Figuratively, it denotes “a period of sanity before things go out of control”. The idiom “the calm before the storm” means “a marked silence before a storm”. What does all of this have to do with the phrase “the calm before the storm”? But a period of quiet is usually a sign something outside of the norm is about to occur – be it an actual storm or confrontation between two individuals or groups. Storms are not easy to predict, so are human-made chaos.
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