hail

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈhāl 

1

: precipitation in the form of small balls or lumps usually consisting of concentric layers of clear ice and compact snow

2

: something that gives the effect of a shower of hail

a hail of rifle fire

hail

2 of 5

verb (1)

hailed; hailing; hails

intransitive verb

1

: to precipitate hail (see hail entry 1)

it was hailing hard

2

: to pour down or strike like hail

Bullets were hailing down on them.

hail

3 of 5

verb (2)

hailed; hailing; hails

transitive verb

1

a

: to greet with enthusiastic approval : acclaim

hailed as a great success

b

: salute, greet

returning soldiers hailed with parades

2

: to greet or summon by calling

hail a taxi

intransitive verb

: to call out

especially : to call a greeting to a passing ship

hailer

ˈhā-lər 

noun

hail

4 of 5

interjection

1

—used to express acclamation

hail to the chief

—Sir Walter Scott

2

archaic

—used as a salutation

hail

5 of 5

noun (2)

1

: an exclamation of greeting or acclamation

greeted the emperor with a hail

2

: a calling to attract attention

3

: hearing distance

stayed within hail

Phrases

hail from

: to be or have been native to or a resident of

She hails from Chicago.

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• rain
• shower
• storm

Verb (2)

• acclaim
• accredit
• applaud
• cheer
• crack up
• laud
• praise
• salute
• tout

Noun (2)

• earshot
• hearing
• sound

Examples of hail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

About 10% of those patients hail from outside California. —Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2024

Israel on Sunday hailed its air defenses in the face of an unprecedented attack by Iran, saying the systems thwarted 99% of the more than 300 drones and missiles launched toward its territory. —Tia Goldenberg, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Apr. 2024

Environmental groups hailed the rule change as a way to ensure accountability from energy companies that have long had cheap access to federal lands. —Matthew Daly, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024

State media hailed the phone as a triumph for China’s tech industry. —Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 12 Apr. 2024

Roberts hails from Alabama and California, and released her debut studio project, Bad Girl Bible, Vol. 1, in 2023 on ReynaRed Records/EMPIRE. —Xander Zellner, Billboard, 9 Apr. 2024

While this isn’t an official release from Swift’s camp, the book does hail from publishers Penguin Workshop, whose best-selling Who Was? —Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2024

At the time, the 2016 law was hailed as an important bipartisan reform to close a glaring loophole in the Kansas Open Records Act. —Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024

During the mid-60s, Sinclair met the members of the MC5, who hailed from the Detroit suburb of Lincoln Park. —Gary Graff, Billboard, 2 Apr. 2024

Noun

Some of the heavier storms can produce flooding, hail, and brief strong wind gusts. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024

Expand All Fort Worth Severe storms with hail and gusty winds return to Dallas-Fort Worth over the weekend, . —Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024

Guerra, Mena and Bisbal hail from Spain, Aguilar from Mexico, Hoyos, Issa and Monsieur Periné from Colombia, Rauch from Argentina, and Mariaca Semprún from Venezuela. —Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2024

Small hail and graupel, or soft hail, can be expected with the stronger showers. —Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 3 Apr. 2024

Isolated thunderstorms with small hail are possible in the afternoon with 1 to 8 inches of snow possible above 7,000 feet. —Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 1 Apr. 2024

These supercells will be capable of producing hail two inches in diameter or larger, along with a few tornadoes. —Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2024

Warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico is providing plenty of fuel for thunderstorms to unload damaging wind gusts, hail and tornadoes. —Robert Shackelford, CNN, 25 Mar. 2024

Thunderstorms and small hail are also possible on Tuesday. —Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb (1)

Middle English, from Old English hægl; akin to Old High German hagal hail

Interjection, Verb (2), and Noun (2)

Middle English, from Old Norse heill, from heill healthy — more at whole

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b

Interjection

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hail

• all hail
• hail a taxi
• hail-fellow
• hail-fellow-well-met
• hail from
• soft hail

Kids Definition

hail

1 of 5 noun

ˈhā(ə)l 

1

: small lumps of ice that fall from clouds sometimes during thunderstorms

2

: something that gives the effect of falling hail

a hail of bullets

hail

2 of 5 verb

1

: to fall as hail

2

: to pour down like hail

hail

3 of 5 interjection

1

—used to express enthusiastic approval

2

archaic

—used as a greeting

hail

4 of 5 verb

1

a

: greet sense 1

b

: to greet with enthusiastic approval : acclaim

hailed them as heroes

2

: to summon by calling

hail a taxi

3

: to call out to

hail a passing ship

hail

5 of 5 noun

1

: an act or instance of hailing

2

: hearing distance

stayed within hail

Etymology

Noun

Old English hægl "lumps of ice, hail"

Interjection

Middle English hail (an interjection of approval or greeting), derived from early Norse heill "healthy" — related to hale entry 1, wassail