history
From 《左传·成公十六年》: during the Battle of Yanling, the Chu king observed the enemy's preparations and remarked 甚嚣，且尘上矣 - 'the clamor is great, and dust rises' - meaning troops were massing. The idiom later shifted to figurative noise: loud opinions, rumors, and criticisms that stir up public attention.
register
Strongly negative in modern use - describes rumors, gossip, criticism, or disinformation swirling at high intensity. Formal/literary. Common in journalism and political commentary.
