Shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground movement along a fault plane or from volcanic activity.

synonyms: quake, seism, temblor.

Roget 173: violence, inclemency, vehemence, might, impetuosity; boisterousness etc. adj.; effervescence, ebullition; turbulence, bluster; uproar, callithump [U.S.], riot, row, rumpus, le diable a quatre [Fr.], devil to pay, all the fat in the fire.    severity etc. 739; ferocity, rage, fury; exacerbation, exasperation, malignity; fit, paroxysm; orgasm, climax, aphrodisia^†; force, brute force; outrage; coup de main; strain, shock, shog^†; spasm, convulsion, throe; hysterics, passion etc. (state of excitability) 825.    outbreak, outburst; debacle; burst, bounce, dissilience^†, discharge, volley, explosion, blow up, blast, detonation, rush, eruption, displosion^†, torrent.    turmoil etc. (disorder) 59; ferment etc. (agitation) 315; storm, tempest, rough weather; squall etc. (wind) 349; earthquake, volcano, thunderstorm.    berserk, berserker; fury, dragon, demon, tiger, beldame, Tisiphone^†, Megaera, Alecto^†, madcap, wild beast; fire eater etc. (blusterer) 887.    ... show more

Roget 146: revolution, bouleversement, subversion, break up; destruction etc. 162; sudden change, radical change, sweeping organic change; change of state, phase change; quantum leap, quantum jump; clean sweep, coup d'etat [Fr.], counter revolution.    jump, leap, plunge, jerk, start, transilience^†; explosion; spasm, convulsion, throe, revulsion; storm, earthquake, cataclysm.    legerdemain etc. (trick) 545.    ... show more

Dutch: aardbeweging, aardbeving, aardschok
Polish: trzęsienie ziemi

A disturbance that is extremely disruptive.

Polish: trzęsienie ziemi