Meaning of English words

[sister herb]

Salam alaykum all

For understanding English better and for improve my writings, I am looking for differencies of meanings of some English words. In this time I have in my mind words like cloud and billow. Is billow a larger mass of clouds or is there some other meaning of that word? Also, is there other usefull words which means something same as cloud?

Later I might have more words I´d like to ask but right now I am thinking these ones.

 

[Muslimah inshal]

I like this thread [emoji108]

 

[beleiver]

I dont recall people using the word 'billow' to describe clouds, i always thought it more meant to blow or to force air, Billows being used to blow air to fan the flames of a fire being most common, but English language is not my strength, i use this site sometimes..
https://www.visualthesaurus.com/app/view
Looks like Billow is indeed synonymous with cloud though but if you said to the average English speaker i dont thing they would understand if you used billow to describe a cloud of something befogged or unclear.

 

[sister herb]

I know this word may not be commonly used. I found it from the poem of Robert Louis Stevenson (1892). I read a lot and find this kind of interesting words.

"Billow and breeze, islands and seas,
Mountains of rain and sun,
All that was good, all that was fair,
All that was me is gone."

When looking for more information, I also found this:


billow cloud

noun, Meteorology.

a cloud consisting of broad, parallel bands oriented perpendicularly to the wind.

 

[Zeal]

Wa alaykum as-salam

Billows have a wave-like motion, whereas clouds don't necessarily

Also Billow can be a noun and a verb, whereas a cloud is just a noun.

Btw very nice poem I liked it alot