This word, classed by Mr. Bartlett among Americanisms, has been continuously used in England for about 350 years, under varying forms. But the word, in the sense of the space cleared by a storm, is a genuine Americanism, though not noticed as such by Mr. Bartlett.
1775. We … travelled chiefly through pine land, and some hurricane ground. [Note] Tracts of wood formerly destroyed by hurricanes are so called.—B. Romans, ‘Florida,’ p. 307. (N.E.D.)
1824. Hurricanes are so called from the appearance of the land when stripped by a violent wind.—Missouri Intelligencer, Feb. 12.
1833. I went by to get a neighbour to drive for us, and off we started for the Harricane.… As I was going ’long, I seed two elk burst out of the Harricane.… “I was going ’long,” said he, “down to a little Harricane, ’bout three miles from our tent, where I knew there must be a plenty of bear.”… My dogs had been running ever since sunrise, and we had all passed through a harricane, which of itself was a day’s work…. We were soon on foot, moving merrily forward to a small hurricane, which had been agreed upon for a drive.—‘Sketches of D. Crockett,’ pp. 92, 94, 98, 101, 196.
1855. I was in a ‘harricane thick,’ on the butt eend of an almighty big tree, and safe kivered.—W. G. Simms, ‘The Forayers,’ p. 255 (N.Y.). [“Thick” is a thicket.] (Italics in the original.)
