Word
gust
US/ˈɡəst/
UK/ɡˈʌst/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a sudden, strong rush of wind. It usually lasts for a short time and is much faster than the wind around it.
n. a sudden, brief increase in the speed of the wind. Often used to describe weather conditions that are unpredictable or turbulent.
Examples
“A sudden gust of wind blew my hat off.”
“The sailors tightened their grip on the ropes as a powerful gust hit the sails without warning.”
“While the average wind speed remained low, occasional gusts reaching fifty miles per hour made the bridge crossing hazardous for high-sided vehicles.”
Examples
simple
“A sudden gust of wind blew my hat off.”
contextual
“The sailors tightened their grip on the ropes as a powerful gust hit the sails without warning.”
complex
“While the average wind speed remained low, occasional gusts reaching fifty miles per hour made the bridge crossing hazardous for high-sided vehicles.”
Usage
Commonly pairs with the preposition 'of' followed by 'wind', 'air', or 'laughter'.
Real-World Examples
“I could not think clearly."
His colleague, Itha Ghale, says the powerful gust of air almost blew them away as they sprinted.” “Some hills and coasts could experience gusts of 40 to 50mph.” Etymology
Apparently from an unrecorded Middle English gust, from Old Norse gustr (“a gust, blast”), from Proto-Germanic gustiz, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰew-. Cognate with Icelandic gustur (“gust of wind”). Related also to Old Norse gusa (“to gush forth”), Old High German gussa (“flood”), Middle English guschen (> English gush). The English word was not recorded before Shakespeare.
From Middle English gust, guste, from Latin gustus (“taste”) and Old French gust, goust.
From Middle English gusten (“to taste, have a taste for”), from the noun (see above).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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