Phrasal verb
cloud over
In Japanese
to get cloudy; to cloud over; to become overcast
Japanese from JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0. All sources.
Definition
phrasal verb. to become covered with clouds, or to look sad or worried suddenly.
phrasal verb. to become overcast with clouds; figuratively, to exhibit a sudden change in facial expression reflecting sadness, anger, or anxiety.
Examples
“The sky began to cloud over before the rain started.”
“His face clouded over when he heard the news about the job cuts.”
“Although the morning began with brilliant sunshine, the horizon soon clouded over, signaling a shift in the local weather patterns.”
Examples
simple
“The sky began to cloud over before the rain started.”
contextual
“His face clouded over when he heard the news about the job cuts.”
complex
“Although the morning began with brilliant sunshine, the horizon soon clouded over, signaling a shift in the local weather patterns.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “cloud over” in context.
Verb
01. cloud over and rain
“It usually clouds over and rains in the late afternoon during the summer.”
verb + and + verb
02. suddenly cloud over
“The sky suddenly clouded over, and we knew it was going to rain.”
adv + verb
03. watch the sky cloud over
“We sat on the porch and watched the sky cloud over as the storm approached.”
verb + noun + infinitive
Noun
04. eyes clouded over
“His eyes clouded over with sadness as he remembered his old friend.”
noun + verb
05. face clouded over
“Her face clouded over when she heard the bad news about the exam.”
noun + verb
Usage
can be used literally for weather or figuratively for a person's mood or expression.
Teaching tip
use the weather meaning as a visual anchor to explain the figurative meaning of a person's face 'darkening' with emotion.
Pitfall
The sky clouded over of gray.
The sky clouded over.
this phrasal verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object or a prepositional phrase starting with 'of'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
over
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
cloud + over
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Grade 2
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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