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Glite Dictionary
moderate gale

moderate gale

6.7
A strong wind of about 37 to 44 miles per hour that makes sailing difficult
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : viento de fuerza 7
  • During the moderate gale, the wind speed reached 35 knots, making it difficult to stay on course.

Examples

  • The forecast warned of a moderate gale approaching the coastline, prompting ships to seek shelter.

  • About one dozen northerly storms with winds of at least moderate gale force penetrate the southern Gulf Coast every year between November and April.

    Academic text (1993)

  • The sailors had to be cautious as they navigated through the waters during a moderate gale.

Synonyms

near gale
vsmoderate gale
  • Specialized
7.7

A very strong wind that blows at about 60 to 70 kilometres per hour

has identical meaning but is an alternate traditional label

Antonyms

strong gale
  • Specialized
6.2

A very strong wind that can topple trees and damage buildings

How Windy

hurricane
301 2.2
storm
∞ 1.0
strong gale
  • Specialized
6.2
moderate gale
  • Specialized
6.7
strong breeze
  • Specialized
1 2.2
fresh breeze
  • Specialized
1 3.4

Surface Forms

moderate gale singular
moderate gales plural

Morphology

moderate + gale

This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'moderate' (not extreme) modifies 'gale' (a strong wind), so a learner who knows both words can infer it means a gale of moderate strength. It follows standard English modification patterns with no idiomatic shift, so the meaning is directly derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Moderate gale comes from simple weather talk where gale means a 'strong wind' and moderate means 'middle' strength. Picture wind that bends trees and rocks a small boat, so it means a strong wind of middle gale strength that needs care to handle.