mushroom-shaped cloud
- noun
- /ˈmʌʃruːm ʃeɪpt klaʊd/
:
nube en forma de hongo
- Witnesses described the aftermath of the blast, noting the huge mushroom-shaped cloud rising into the sky.
Examples
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The explosion created a large mushroom-shaped cloud that could be seen from miles away.
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The mushroom-Shaped cloud was visible by viewers As far as madison, twenty miles away.
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News reports showed the dramatic mushroom-shaped cloud following the detonation of the bomb.
Synonyms
22
8.3
A large cloud of smoke and dust with a round top after an explosion
10
4.6
A large cloud that rises after a big explosion and looks like a mushroom
Surface Forms
Morphology
mushroom-shaped + cloud
The phrase literally describes a cloud that has the shape of a mushroom, so a B1 learner who knows 'mushroom', the adjectival '-shaped' construction, and 'cloud' can directly derive the meaning. The 'X-shaped Y' compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows standard English compounding, making the expression immediately comprehensible from its parts.
Etymology
Mushroom-shaped cloud gets its name from the sight of a huge cloud that looks like a giant mushroom, with a tall stem of smoke and a round top. That's why the phrase describes the big cloud that rises after a 'powerful explosion', especially a 'nuclear bomb'.