Stormy Petrel
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
See PETREL. Stornello Verses (stor nel' 6) are those in which certain words are harped on and turned about and about.
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 “Stormy Petrel” mean?
See PETREL. Stornello Verses (stor nel' 6) are those in which certain words are harped on and turned about and about.
Is “Stormy Petrel” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.