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hail 1 (hāl)
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n.
1. Precipitation in the form of spherical or irregular pellets of ice larger than 5 millimeters (0.2 inch) in diameter, usually associated with thunderstorms.
2. Something that falls with the force and quantity of a shower of ice and hard snow: a hail of pebbles; a hail of criticism.
v. hailed, hail·ing, hails
v.intr.
1. To precipitate in pellets of ice and hard snow.
2. To fall like hailstones: Condemnations hailed down on them.
v.tr.
To pour (something) down or forth: They hailed insults at me.

[Middle English, from Old English hægel, hagol.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
hail 2 (hāl)
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v. hailed, hail·ing, hails
v.tr.
1.
a. To salute or greet.
b. To greet or acclaim enthusiastically: The crowds hailed the boxing champion.
2. To call out or yell in order to catch the attention of: hail a cabdriver.
v.intr.
To signal or call to a passing ship as a greeting or identification.
n.
1. The act of greeting or acclaiming.
2. A shout made to catch someone's attention or to greet.
3. Hailing distance: told me to stay within hail.
interj.
Used to express a greeting or tribute.
Phrasal Verb:
hail from
To come or originate from: She hails from Texas.

[Middle English heilen, from (wæs) hæil, (be) healthy; see WASSAIL.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.