Taking something by storm comes from military terminology, first seen around 1680.
Doing something up a storm dates from 1946.
Storm doors are not recorded before 1872.
Storm-tossed, a term normally only used by writers, is seen in print for the first time in 1610.
Storm-bird is seen from 1752, today we refer to it as a petrel.
Storm clouds are unrecorded before 1822.
Dust storms are not described as such until 1838.
Storm troopers are first recorded in 1933, however this had nothing to do with a galaxy far, far away, these were members of the Nazi Sturmabteiling or earlier the German military sturmtruppen during the First World War.
Barnstorming began in 1815, and referred specifically to short theatrical performances of a smutty or vulgar kind. So-called because they were performed in barns in upstate New York. By 1896 the term had started to be used to refer to electioneering tours; and in 1928 to pilots who performed stunts at fairs and during air races. Thunderstorms were not known until 1560.
Snowstorms have been known as such since 1771.
Hailstorms come between the above two, seen since 1690.
Rainstorms are, considering the previous three examples, quite recent in only appearing in writing since 1804.
Brainstorm is a term used since 1861, when it referred to a fit of delirious malaria or sudden loss of the ability to reason. Prior to that, and also as a noun, it was a symptom of a disease seen to be increasing in strength or repetitiveness. The modern use of ‘a concerted attack on a problem’ comes from 1947; while another sense of ‘a brilliant idea’ was around from 1934.
Firestorms have been around since the 1580.
Windstorms have been known since the late 14th century.
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