cloud

1 /klaUd/ noun

1 (C, U) a white or grey mass in the sky that consists of very small drops of water: Dark clouds gathered overhead.

2 a cloud of dust/smoke/gas etc a mass of dust etc in the air

3 (C) something that makes you feel afraid or worried

(+ of): The clouds of war began to threaten our peaceful life. | a cloud on the horizon (=something that threatens to spoil a happy situation): The only cloud on the horizon was her mother's illness. | cast a cloud (=spoil a happy situation): The news that several competitors had been taking drugs cast a cloud over the event.

4 on cloud nine informal very happy about something: Adam was on cloud nine after the birth of his son.

5 under a cloud informal if someone is under a cloud, people have a bad opinion of them because they have done something wrong: He left the company under a cloud.

6 be/live in cloud-cuckoo-land to think that a situation is much better than it actually is in a way that makes you seem stupid: If Ben thinks he's getting a pay rise, he's living in cloud-cuckoo-land.

7 every cloud has a silver lining used to say that there is something good even in a situation that seems very sad or difficult

-see also: have your head in the clouds head 1 (11) 2 verb

1 GLASS also cloud over/up (I, T) if a transparent material such as glass clouds or something clouds it, you cannot see through it properly any more: Steam had clouded the windows up.

2 LIQUID also cloud up (I, T) if a liquid clouds or if something clouds it, it becomes less clear: Don't shake the barrel, you'll cloud the beer.

3 THOUGHTS/MEMORIES (T) to make someone less able to think clearly or remember things: cloud sb's judgement/memory: Don't let your personal feelings towards this woman cloud your judgement.

4 cloud the issue to make a subject or problem difficult to understand by introducing ideas or information that are not connected with it: Bringing in unnecessary details at this stage will only cloud the issue.

5 FACE also cloud over (I, T) if someone's expression clouds or if something clouds it, they start to look angry or sad: His face clouded when he saw her.

6 SPOIL STH (T) to make something less pleasant than it should have been: Half a billion people vote in a general election clouded by violence and charges of poll-rigging.

7 COVER WITH CLOUD (T) to cover something with clouds: Thick mist clouded the mountaintops.

cloud over phrasal verb (I)

1 if the sky clouds over, it becomes dark because it is full of black clouds: The sky's really clouding over; I think we're in for a storm.

2 (I) if someone's expression clouds over, they start to look angry or sad: Anne's face clouded over as she remembered.