cyclone
noun
- large scale air mass that rotates around a strong center of low pressure
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈsaɪ.kloʊn/ / /ˈsaɪ.kləʊn/
noun
Etymology: Coined by Henry Piddington, probably in the 1840s, and based on some term in Ancient Greek. Sources disagree on the date and on which Ancient Greek term, though it had to be something derived from either κύκλος (kúklos, “circle, wheel”) or κυκλόω (kuklóō, “go around in a circle, form a circle, encircle”), for example the present active participle κυκλῶν (kuklôn). See cycle and wheel.
- Any weather phenomenon consisting of a system of winds rotating around a centre of low atmospheric pressure; a low pressure system.
“Near-synonym: storm”
- A tropical cyclone occurring in the South Pacific or Indian Ocean.
“Near-synonyms: typhoon, hurricane”
- The more or less violent, small-scale circulations such as tornadoes, waterspouts, and dust devils.
- A strong wind.
- A cyclone separator; the cylindrical vortex tube within such a separator
verb
Etymology: Coined by Henry Piddington, probably in the 1840s, and based on some term in Ancient Greek. Sources disagree on the date and on which Ancient Greek term, though it had to be something derived from either κύκλος (kúklos, “circle, wheel”) or κυκλόω (kuklóō, “go around in a circle, form a circle, encircle”), for example the present active participle κυκλῶν (kuklôn). See cycle and wheel.
- To separate using a cyclone separator.
“The product is cycloned and overflow at 45-50% solids is pumped to primary flotation where 50-70% of the copper is removed as a 21% concentrate.”
“The Syncrude Tar Sand Mine in Alberta, Canada uses a similar hydraulic cell construction technique to raise tailings embankments, although tailings are not cycloned.”
- To storm as a cyclone.
“What difference if it rained, hailed, blew, snowed, cycloned?”
- To whirl in spirals as a result of a cyclone or whirlwind-like force.
“White dust was cycloning at the bottom of ravines that cut for miles into the red flatness”
“Pine needles cycloned wildly as Jan swung her car into the Institute's parking lot.”
- To storm wildly; to be in a frenzy.
“When Whyte got an eyeful of our groundsman's Barkjano ass bouncing to a rapid beat, he exploded, not so much in words as in gestures and a rapid departure that contained far greater energy than a trifling “storm”—he cycloned-whirlwinded-squalled and thundergaled out of the house and the whole barbecue.”
“The winds of change cycloned around Rhodesia and the debris began to fall within its borders.”