How does a hurricane move? It “barrels” and “churns,” to judge from the most popular verbs. “Lumbers” is the oddest verb choice, yet it is used rather often, I guess to convey a large scale (hearing it on the radio this morning led me to this investigation). But can a hurricane really “march”? I guess that’s to show inexorability. Can it “aim”? Here’s just a small sample of today’s journalistic prose at work.
- “Hurricane Irene … makes its way toward the US mainland.” –ABC News
- “Hurricane Irene [is] churning toward the New York/New Jersey area.” — ESPN
- “Hurricane Irene churned on a northwest track.” –Scientific American
- “Irene churns toward North Carolina.” — Bloomberg
- “Hurricane Irene … advances toward the East Coast.” — Ydr.com
- “Hurricane Irene may be hurtling menacingly toward the coast.” — Wall Street Journal
- “Hurricane Irene … barrels toward the East Coast.” — Technolog
- “Hurricane Irene barreled toward the region. — Boston Globe
- “Hurricane Irene made its way toward the region.” — Boston Globe
- “Irene continues to steam through the ocean.” — Boston.com
- “Hurricane Irene … roars toward the U.S. East Coast.” Los Angeles Times
- “Irene lumbered into the Bahamas.” — Patch.com
- “Hurricane Irene … bore down on the Bahamas.” — PBS
- “Irene … spins toward the Bahamas.” –WSBTV
- “Hurricane Irene slammed the Bahamas [and] heads toward the East Coast. — Washington Post
- “Irene takes aim at Long Island.” NY Daily News
- “Hurricane Irene aims its fury toward the North.” — brunswickbeacon.com
- “Hurricane storms toward Philly region.” — myfoxphilly.com
- “Hurricane Irene moves toward the Carolinas.” — Charlotte News
- “Irene continued its march across the Caribbean toward the U.S.” — Fox News
- “Hurricane Irene marched north.” — Wall Street Journal