cloudy

cloudy

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Pronunciation

/ˈklaʊdi/.

• First Syllable: /ˈklaʊd/

• /k/: Voiceless velar stop, like the "c" in "cat".

• /l/: Voiced alveolar lateral approximant, like the "l" in "light".

• /aʊ/: Diphthong, a combination of the vowel sound in "father" and the vowel sound in "put". It's the sound in "cow" or "how".

• /d/: Voiced alveolar stop, like the "d" in "dog".

• Second Syllable: /i/

• /i/: High front unrounded vowel, like the "ee" in "feet" or the "y" at the end of "happy".

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Word Form Variations

Adjective:

• Base form: cloudy (e.g., "a cloudy sky")

• Comparative: cloudier (e.g., "The weather is getting cloudier.")

• Superlative: cloudiest (e.g., "This is the cloudiest day of the year.")

Adverb:

• cloudily (e.g., "The details of the plan were cloudily explained.")

Noun:

• cloudiness (This is the noun form that refers to the state or quality of being cloudy, e.g., "We experienced periods of cloudiness throughout the day.")

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Adjective

1. Definition: Characterized by or covered with clouds; having many clouds in the sky.

• Synonyms: overcast, murky, gray, dull, sunless, gloomy

• Antonyms: clear, sunny, bright, cloudless, unclouded

2. Definition: (Of liquids or glass) Lacking transparency or clarity; opaque or hazy due to suspended particles or condensation.

• Synonyms: murky, hazy, turbid, opaque, unclear, milky, misty

• Antonyms: clear, transparent, crystalline, lucid

3. Definition: (Figurative, of thoughts, memories, or situations) Unclear, confused, or not easily understood; lacking distinctness or precision.

• Synonyms: vague, indistinct, muddled, obscure, fuzzy, confused, uncertain

• Antonyms: clear, precise, distinct, definite, sharp, unambiguous

Adverb

1. Definition: (Rarely used, typically "cloudily") In a manner that is unclear, indistinct, or obscured.

• Synonyms: vaguely, indistinctly, obscurely, hazily, murkily

• Antonyms: clearly, distinctly, precisely, sharply

Noun

Note: The noun form is "cloudiness," which is derived from "cloudy."

1. Definition: The state or quality of being covered with clouds; the condition of having many clouds in the sky.

• Synonyms: overcast, gloom, murkiness, dullness

• Antonyms: clarity, brightness, sunniness, clear skies

2. Definition: The state or quality of lacking transparency or clarity, especially in liquids or glass, due to suspended particles or condensation.

• Synonyms: murkiness, haziness, turbidity, opaqueness, milkiness

• Antonyms: clarity, transparency, limpidity, pellucidity

3. Definition: (Figurative) The state or quality of being unclear, confused, or indistinct, often referring to thoughts, understanding, or situations.

• Synonyms: vagueness, indistinctness, muddiness, obscurity, confusion, uncertainty

• Antonyms: clarity, precision, distinctness, sharpness, definiteness, unambiguousness

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Examples of Use

Books:

• "The day dawned cloudy and cold, a typical November morning in the Scottish Highlands." (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) - Here, "cloudy" describes the weather.

• "His memories of the accident remained cloudy, a jumble of flashing lights and shouts." (Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl) - In this example, "cloudy" is used metaphorically to describe unclear memories.

Newspapers:

• "Weather experts predict a cloudy start to the week, with chances of light rain in the afternoon." (The New York Times) - Common usage describing weather forecasts.

• "The company's financial report offered a somewhat cloudy picture of its future prospects." (The Wall Street Journal) - Figurative use, indicating lack of clarity in financial outlook.

Online Publications:

• "Why is my kombucha cloudy? Understanding the harmless sediment vs. actual spoilage." (The Kitchn) - Used to describe the appearance of a liquid.

• "Tech giant's new privacy policy leaves users with a cloudy understanding of data collection." (TechCrunch) - Figurative use relating to confusing or unclear information.

Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:

• Film Dialogue: "It's a cloudy day, perfect for staying inside and watching movies." (From a hypothetical romantic comedy) - Casual conversational use related to weather.

• Song Lyrics: "When the skies are cloudy and grey / And nothing seems to go my way / You're the sunshine that brightens my day." (Hypothetical pop song lyrics) - Evocative use in a song, often symbolic of sadness or difficulty.

• Video Game Description: "Navigate the treacherous, cloudy peaks of Mount Cinder in your quest for the ancient relic." (From a fantasy RPG game synopsis) - Used descriptively for a game environment.

• Social Media Post: "Feeling a bit cloudy-headed today after that long flight. Need more coffee!" (@TravelerAdventures, Instagram) - Informal, figurative use to describe mental state.

General Public Discourse:

• "The instructions for assembling this furniture are so cloudy, I can't figure out step three." (A common complaint in conversation) - Used to describe unclear instructions.

• "His explanation of the new policy was pretty cloudy; I'm still not sure what we're supposed to do." (Discussion among colleagues) - Referring to a lack of clarity in communication.

• "It looks like it's going to be cloudy for the picnic, so maybe we should bring umbrellas." (A casual conversation about plans) - Everyday weather discussion.

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10 Famous Quotes Using Cloudy

1. "Every cloudy day has a silver lining." (Proverb)

2. "The mind, like the sky, is sometimes cloudy, sometimes clear." (Tibetan proverb)

3. "My mind is cloudy from too much thought." (Original Quote)

4. "Don't let a cloudy day obscure the sun in your heart." (Lesser-known inspirational quote)

5. "A truly clear mind sees even on a cloudy day." (Lesser-known philosophical quote)

6. "His explanation was so cloudy, I couldn't grasp the core concept." (Original Quote)

7. "Even the cloudy days bring forth the rain that makes the flowers grow." (Lesser-known inspirational quote)

8. "When the future looks cloudy, focus on the present moment." (Original Quote)

9. "She had a cloudy look in her eyes, as if lost in thought." (Original Quote, describing appearance)

10. "The cloudy brew settled, revealing its true color." (Original Quote, descriptive of a liquid)

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Etymology

The word "cloudy" is actually quite old, and its meaning has changed over time!

It comes from the Old English word "cludig." Now, here's the interesting part: when it first appeared, cludig didn't mean "full of fluffy white things in the sky." Instead, its earliest known meaning was "rocky, hilly, or full of cliffs." Imagine looking at a steep, rugged hillside – that was the original "cludig" idea. This makes sense because the word "cloud" itself in Old English (and even into Middle English) originally meant "a mass of rock, a hill, or a clod of earth."

So, picture it: the word "clud" (which became "cloud") was about something solid and lumpy.

Around the year 1300, people started using "cloud" to describe those masses of evaporated water we see floating in the sky. This was a metaphorical leap, because these atmospheric clouds can look like big, lumpy, rocky masses from below.

Once "cloud" got its sky-related meaning, it was only natural for "cloudy" to follow suit. By the late 14th century, "cloudy" began to mean "full of clouds" or "overcast" – just like we use it today for the weather. Later, in the late 1500s, it also started being used for liquids that weren't clear, like a murky drink. The figurative sense of "gloomy" or "unclear" also appeared around the late 14th century, stemming from the idea of something obscuring vision or understanding.

So, in short:

• Original meaning (Old English): "rocky, hilly, full of cliffs."

How it changed: The word "cloud" itself shifted from meaning a "rocky mass" to an "atmospheric mass" (around 1300), and then "cloudy" followed, taking on the meaning of "full of atmospheric clouds."

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Cloudy

Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "cloudy," supplemented with lesser-known and original phrases where "cloudy" or its synonyms are used for similar effect:

1. Cloudy with a chance of... (Often used in weather forecasts, e.g., "cloudy with a chance of rain.")

2. A cloudy outlook: (Describes a pessimistic or uncertain future.)

3. To have a cloudy mind/head: (To feel confused, muddled, or unable to think clearly.)

4. Through cloudy glasses: (To perceive something unclearly or with a biased perspective. Original phrase.)

5. A cloudy day: (A literal description of the weather, but can also metaphorically imply a sad or difficult day.)

6. The waters are cloudy: (A metaphorical phrase meaning a situation is unclear, suspicious, or confusing, similar to "muddying the waters.")

7. Cloudy judgment: (When one's ability to make sound decisions is impaired.)

8. Past is cloudy: (Meaning memories of the past are vague or indistinct.)

9. A cloudy reception: (Refers to poor signal quality for radio or TV, leading to unclear sound or picture. Lesser-known.)

10. As cloudy as pea soup: (An original phrase emphasizing extreme murkiness, often for liquids or visibility.)

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of cloudy from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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