Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
hail
I. hail1 /heɪl/ noun
[Language: Old English; Origin: hagal, hægl]
1. [uncountable] frozen raindrops which fall as hard balls of ice:
heavy showers of rain and hail
2. a hail of bullets/stones etc a large number of bullets, stones etc that are thrown or fired at someone:
The aircraft were met by a hail of gunfire.
3. a hail of criticism/abuse etc a lot of criticism etc:
The proposals met with a hail of criticism.
II. hail2 verb
[Sense 2: Date: 1200-1300; Origin: hail3]
[Sense 3: Language: Old English; Origin: hagalian, from hagal; ⇒ hail1]
1. [transitive] to describe someone or something as being very good
hail somebody/something as something
Lang’s first film was immediately hailed as a masterpiece.
be hailed something
The new service has been hailed a success.
A young man is being hailed a hero tonight after rescuing two children.
2. [transitive] to call to someone in order to greet them or try to attract their attention:
She leaned out of the window and hailed a passerby.
hail a cab/taxi
The hotel doorman will hail a cab for you.
3. it hails if it hails, small balls of ice fall like rain:
It’s windy and hailing outside.
hail from something phrasal verb old-fashioned
to have been born in a particular place:
And where do you hail from?
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
hail
hail [hail hails hailed hailing] verb, noun [heɪl] [heɪl]
verb
1. transitive, usually passive to describe sb/sth as being very good or special, especially in newspapers, etc
• ~ sb/sth as sth The conference was hailed as a great success.
• ~ sb/sth + noun Teenager Matt Brown is being hailed a hero for saving a young child from drowning.
2. transitive ~ sth to signal to a taxi or a bus, in order to get the driver to stop
• to hail a taxi/cab
3. transitive ~ sb (literary) to call to sb in order to say hello to them or attract their attention
• A voice hailed us from the other side of the street.
• We soon came within hailing distance of (= fairly close to) the others.
4. intransitive when it hails, small balls of ice fall like rain from the sky
• It's hailing!
Word Origin:
n. and v. sense 4 Old English hagol hægl hagalian Germanic Dutch hagel German Hagel
v. senses 1 to 3 Middle English hail ‘healthy’ wæs hæil wassail Old Norse heill hale whole
Example Bank:
• The expedition was widely hailed as a success.
• Union leaders hailed the socialists' victory as a huge step forward.
Derived: hail from …
noun
1. uncountable small balls of ice that fall like rain
• We drove through hail and snow.
2. singular a ~ of sth a large number or amount of sth that is aimed at sb in order to harm them
• a hail of arrows/bullets
• a hail of abuse
Word Origin:
n. and v. sense 4 Old English hagol hægl hagalian Germanic Dutch hagel German Hagel
v. senses 1 to 3 Middle English hail ‘healthy’ wæs hæil wassail Old Norse heill hale whole
Example Bank:
• It was terrible driving through the hail.
• The hail melted once the sun came out.
• We got caught in the hail.
• A passer-by was caught in the hail of bullets.
• It's hailing!
• Rain and hail pounded on the tiled roof.
• The attempt to bring in new legislation was met by a hail of criticism.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
hail
hail (CALL) /heɪl/
verb [T] SLIGHTLY FORMAL
to call someone in order to attract their attention:
Shall we hail a taxi?
I tried to hail her from across the room.
x
hail (ICE) /heɪl/
noun [U]
1 small hard balls of ice which fall from the sky like rain
2 a hail of sth a lot of similar things or remarks, thrown or shouted at someone at the same time:
a hail of bullets
The Prime Minister was greeted with a hail of insults as she arrived at the students' union.
hail /heɪl/
verb [I]
If it hails, small hard balls of ice fall from the sky like rain.