The Ragtag Daily Prompt this morning is MAELSTROM
I confess…I have been a lazy reader when it comes to this word. I’ve seen it different times and just read it as STORM without ever verifying. But thanks to Ragtag prompter Curious Cat putting it before my eyes this morning, I’m forced at last to look it up.
And I was wrong. It’s actually a whirlpool — or a storm that acts like a whirlpool, where people get sucked up — or down, if you will — into the boiling clouds or swirling waters (of anger, of fear.) Political opinion is the perfect illustration of a maelestrom. 😉
Borrowing this explanation from Merriam-Webster:
Maelstrom comes from an early Dutch proper noun that literally meant “turning stream.” The original Maelstrom is a channel that has dangerous tidal currents located off the northwest coast of Norway. The word became popularized in the general vocabulary of English in reference to a powerful whirlpool, or something akin to one, in the 19th century.
Live and learn. 🙂
Christine's Collection 
I don’t know why I knew this, but I did. Your explanation is spot on.
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All credit goes to Merriam-Webster this morning. 😉
I’ve been preparing some posts over at Word Buds; they will look much like this one. I plan to introduce this site on Friday, but want to have a few posts scheduled ahead. 🙂
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Just before reading your post I thought to myself, “I had better look this up in the dictionary because I am not really sure of the meaning.” So, thanks for the help!
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You’re welcome. 🙂
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