Dictionary
mael•strom
Pronunciation: (māl'strum), [key]—
n.
1. a large, powerful, or violent whirlpool.
2. a restless, disordered, or tumultuous state of affairs:
the maelstrom of early morning traffic.
3. (
cap.) a famous hazardous whirlpool off the NW coast of Norway.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.