hail
1 (hāl)
[Middle English, from Old English hægel, hagol.]
noun
- Precipitation in the form of spherical or irregular pellets of ice larger than 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) in diameter.
- Something that falls with the force and quantity of a shower of ice and hard snow: a hail of pebbles; a hail of criticism.
verb: hailed, hail·ing, hails.
intransitive verb
- To precipitate in pellets of ice and hard snow.
- To fall like hailstones: Condemnations hailed down on them.
transitive verb
- To pour (something) down or forth: They hailed insults at me.
hail
2 (hāl)
[Middle English heilen, from (wæs) hæil, (be) healthy; see wassail.]
verb: hailed, hail·ing, hails.
transitive verb
- To salute or greet.
- To greet or acclaim enthusiastically: The crowds hailed the boxing champion.
- To call out or yell in order to catch the attention of: hail a cabdriver.
intransitive verb
- To signal or call to a passing ship as a greeting or identification.
noun
- The act of greeting or acclaiming.
- A shout made to catch someone's attention or to greet.
- Hailing distance: told me to stay within hail.
interjection
- Used to express a greeting or tribute.
phrasal verbs
- hail from
- To come or originate from: She hails from Texas.
