Talking about the weather

1. Storm out (verb phrase): to leave in anger, or to leave angrily. If you storm out of a room, you may ran out quickly, break something and slam the door on your way out.
   
2. Example 1: After the fight with her husband, Marry stormed out of the apartment.
   

Example 2: He must have been really angry with your behavior because he stormed out without even looking back.
Tip: To remember this phrase, think of the real storm. There are usually strong winds, heavy rain, loud thunder and lightning. Just like that, people who storm out make a lot of angry sound.
 
Example 1: I don’t think I can join the race today. I’m feeling a bit under the weather.
Example 2: She looks a bit under the weather. I should go check up on her. (see our Bonus section for the phrasal verb to check up on somebody)
Tip: What happens when you are under the weather for too long? You may get worn out. See our Bonus section for more on this phrase.
 
Example 1: If she can just weather the storm of this lawsuit, she may even come out a millionaire.
Example 2: Every time the manager gives somebody a scolding, we stay in the room to weather the storm together. We are like a family now.
Tip: This phrase can literally means to survive a physical storm. If there is a huge storm, especially with flooding or even tornadoes and somebody live through it, we say that he or she has weathered the storm.
 
Example 1: Don’t talk about this to anyone ok! I don’t want Lilly to get wind of the secret birthday party that we are throwing for her.
Example 2: The army has gotten wind of the enemy’s ambush before it actually happened.
Tip: DO NOT confuse this with another verb phrase of wind: to pass wind. See out bonus section to find out why.
 
Example 1: She was really happy with her promotion at work but I rained on her parade by saying that she will be overworked.
Example 2: I hate Helen! She always rains on other people’s parade! She cannot let anyone be happy!
Tip: a parade is a public celebration, usually with marching and music. For example, you have a parade for your country’s independence day. So if it rains on the parade, a happy event will become less enjoyable.
 
Example 1: I can’t come to your dinner tonight, but I will take a rain check.
Example 2: Not today but I’ll take a rain check on your invitation.
Tip: This phrase can go with the preposition on. So you can say to take a rain check on something.
 
Example 1: The party is not until another hour so I still have some time to relax in the calm before the storm.
Example 2: Everything seems so peaceful tonight. But we all know that it is just the calm before the storm. Tomorrow, the battle begins.
Tip: Native speakers have used this phrase so often that they may just have to say before the storm and still deliver the same meaning. For example: I would like to rest for a while. You know? Before the storm.
 
Example 1: I met this amazing girl at the bar last night. I am on cloud nine now!
Example 2: She’s always on cloud nine. I wonder what makes her so happy.
Tip: See our bonus section at the end of this article for another similar expression.
 
Example 1: I kept quiet about my promotion because I don’t want to steal my brother’s thunder. He’s just gotten into a good college.
Example 2: Stop stealing my thunder! It is mine birthday! Mine!
Tip: You can also use this phrase to say that somebody takes a way another person’s authority. For example, if the vice-captain of a team talks to the press all the time, we can say that he is stealing the thunder from the team captain.
 
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[*]Take by storm (verb phrase): to do something quickly, usually in a sudden and overwhelming way. When Lady Gaga first made her debut, she took the music industry by storm because she became famous very fast and had a very dramatic style.
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Example 1: We have fewer soldiers than the enemy. Therefore we must take their base by storm before they realize what hits them.
Example 2: She took the entertainment industry by storm after her first album topped the chart in 20 countries all over the world.