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to hail

to hail

15 1.9
To fall from the sky as small balls of ice during a storm
  • verb
  • /heɪl/
translation icon : granizar
  • When the forecast predicted severe weather, I was nervous about the possibility of ice hailing at any moment.

Examples

  • Hail the size of your fist.

  • When it started to hail, it was like golf balls pounding off the roofs of the cars.

  • Rain, wind, and now hail—large and icy—batter the car.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • It's all melted now, but that tornado brought along with it hail the size of hermit crabs, gallstones, Amish dumplings, or shrunken heads.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • During the storm, large chunks of ice hailed down from the sky, damaging roofs and cars.

  • As the thunder roared, ice balls began to hail heavily, turning the streets white.

Phrasal Verbs

To call or wave for a taxi to stop for you

Compounds

Hail Mary
  • Informal
14 8.2

A last, desperate attempt made when nothing else works

11 7.7

A short prayer to the Virgin Mary said for help

Hail Mary pass
  • Informal
4 8.4

A risky final attempt to succeed when little time remains

hail-fellow
  • Archaic
9.9

A person who is warm and friendly and easy to talk to

9.9

Being friendly and cheerful when meeting people, sometimes too familiar

How Hard

to hail
15 1.9
to pour
588 1.0
to rain
541 1.0
to drizzle
7 1.0

Surface Forms

hail infinitive
hailed past
hailed past participle
hailing present participle
hails third person singular

Etymology

Hail (verb, of ice) is from the same old word as the noun hail, so to hail is simply for the sky to 'drop' those small ice stones — that's why we say 'it hails' when ice falls.