near gale
- noun
- Specialized
:
viento fuerte
- Sailors were warned of near gale winds, so they decided to stay in port until conditions improved.
Examples
-
The temperature is dropping way below zero, and the north wind is increasing to near gale force.
Blog text (25) -
As the storm approached, the wind reached near gale force, making it difficult to walk outside.
-
The weather report indicated that the coast would experience near gale conditions by the afternoon.
Synonyms
A strong wind of about 37 to 44 miles per hour that makes sailing difficult
Antonyms
How Windy
∞
1.0
24
5.8
- Specialized
- Specialized
1
2.2
1
1.0
735
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a wind nearly gale strength' is directly and transparently derived from 'near' (almost/just short of) combined with 'gale' (a strong wind). Although the exact knot range is technical, a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer it means 'almost a gale' (just below gale strength).
Etymology
Near gale comes from an old wind scale that named levels of wind. The parts near and gale paint a simple picture: near means 'almost' and gale means a very strong wind, so the phrase means a very strong wind that is 'almost' a gale.