Gust Meaning
/ɡʌst/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA strong, abrupt rush of wind.
nounAny rush or outburst (of water, emotion, etc.).
Sentence Examples
A gust of wind swelled the sails.
A gust of wind blew a shower of rain directly into my face.
A gust of wind blew off Mary's hat.
CEFR Practice Quiz
A strong ____ of wind knocked over the trash cans during the storm.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
A powerful ____ of wind blew my hat right off my head and carried it far down the beach.
Word Origin & History
Apparently from an unrecorded Middle English *gust, from Old Norse gustr (“a gust, blast”), from Proto-Germanic *gustiz, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰew-. Cognate with Icelandic gustur (“gust of wind”). Related also to Old Norse gusa (“to gush forth”), Old High German gussa (“flood”), Middle English guschen (> English gush). The English word was not recorded before Shakespeare.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The maximum sustained winds recorded at Waglan Island, Tate’s Cairn and Cheung Chau Beach were 113, 101 and 97 kmh (70, 62, 60 mph) respectively, with maximum gusts 135, 154 and 130 kmh (84, 96, 81 mph)"
— 2017 August 26, Anne Marie Roantree, Venus Wu, “Battered Hong Kong and Macau brace for Pakhar, more flooding”, in Andrew Hay, editor, Reuters, archived from the original on 05 Aug 2023, COMMODITIES NEWS:
"The author is not speaking now of actual love-makings, of intrigues and devilish villany, either perpetrated or imagined; but rather of those passing gusts of short-lived and unfounded suspicion to which, as to other accidents, very well-regulated families may occasionally be liable."
— 1869 May, Anthony Trollope, “Hard Words”, in He Knew He Was Right, volume I, London: Strahan and Company, […], →OCLC, page 73:
"Do the dryers disperse bacteria and viruses through the restroom, like autumn breezes gusting leaves across a lawn?"
— 2019 April 25, Samanth Subramanian, “Hand dryers v paper towels: the surprisingly dirty fight for the right to dry your hands”, in The Guardian:
"Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust."
— 1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], (please specify |epistle=I to IV), London: […] J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC:
"A choice of it may be made according to the gust and manner of the ancients."
— 1695, C[harles] A[lphonse] du Fresnoy, translated by John Dryden, De Arte Graphica. The Art of Painting, […], London: […] J[ohn] Heptinstall for W. Rogers, […], →OCLC:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
A strong ____ of wind knocked over the trash cans during the storm.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
A powerful ____ of wind blew my hat right off my head and carried it far down the beach.