a white squall
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
One which produces no diminution of light, in contradistinction to a black squall, in which the clouds are black and heavy.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a white squall” mean?
One which produces no diminution of light, in contradistinction to a black squall, in which the clouds are black and heavy.
Is “a white squall” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.