Maelstrom

maelstrom

maelstrom, a term commonly accepted as meaning a whirlpool, or a great storm. In fact, it is a strong current which rips past the southern end of Moskenaes Island in the Lofoten group off the west coast of Norway. Also known as the Maskenstrom, it is marked on a map of the area which appears in the 1594 edition of an atlas by Gerhardus Mercator, who produced the Mercator projection. The word would appear to come from the Dutch malen, to grind, and strom, stream or current.

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"maelstrom." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 12 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"maelstrom." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 12, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-maelstrom.html

"maelstrom." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved February 12, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-maelstrom.html

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maelstrom

mael·strom / ˈmālˌsträm; -strəm/ • n. a powerful whirlpool in the sea or a river. ∎ fig. a scene or state of confused and violent movement or upheaval: the train station was a maelstrom of crowds a maelstrom of violence and recrimination.

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"maelstrom." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 12 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"maelstrom." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 12, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-maelstrom.html

"maelstrom." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 12, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-maelstrom.html

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maelstrom

maelstrom a powerful whirlpool in the sea or a river, named (in the late 17th century, from early modern Dutch) after a mythical whirlpool supposed to exist in the Arctic Ocean, west of Norway. The use of maelstrom as a proper name seems to come from Dutch maps, for example in Mercator's Atlas (1595).

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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "maelstrom." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 12 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "maelstrom." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 12, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-maelstrom.html

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "maelstrom." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 12, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-maelstrom.html

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maelstrom

maelstrom whirlpool in the Arctic Ocean off Norway; also gen. XVII. — early modDu. maelstrom (now maalstroom), f. maalen grind, whirl round + stroom STREAM.

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T. F. HOAD. "maelstrom." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 12 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "maelstrom." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 12, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-maelstrom.html

T. F. HOAD. "maelstrom." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 12, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-maelstrom.html

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Maelstrom

Maelstrom whirlpool, Norway: see Moskenstraumen .

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"Maelstrom." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 12 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Maelstrom." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 12, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Maelstro.html

"Maelstrom." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 12, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Maelstro.html

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maelstrom

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"maelstrom." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 12 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"maelstrom." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 12, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-maelstrom.html

"maelstrom." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 12, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-maelstrom.html

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