Dictionary
hail
Pronunciation: (hāl), [key]—
v.t.
1. to cheer, salute, or greet; welcome.
2. to acclaim; approve enthusiastically:
The crowds hailed the conquerors. They hailed the recent advances in medicine.
3. to call out to in order to stop, attract attention, ask aid, etc.:
to hail a cab.
—
v.i.
1. to call out in order to greet, attract attention, etc.:
The people on land hailed as we passed in the night.
2. hail from, to have as one's place of birth or residence:
Nearly everyone here hails from the Midwest.
—
n.
1. a shout or call to attract attention:
They answered the hail of the marooned boaters.
2. a salutation or greeting:
a cheerful hail.
3. the act of hailing.
4. within hail, within range of hearing; audible:
The mother kept her children within hail of her voice.
—
interj.
(used as a salutation, greeting, or acclamation.)
hail
Pronunciation: (hāl), [key]—
n.
1. showery precipitation in the form of irregular pellets or balls of ice more than
1/5 in. (5 mm) in diameter, falling from a cumulonimbus cloud (distinguished from
sleet).
2. a shower or storm of such precipitation.
3. a shower of anything:
a hail of bullets.
—
v.i.
1. to pour down hail (often used impersonally with
it as subject):
It hailed this afternoon.
2. to fall or shower as hail:
Arrows hailed down on the troops as they advanced.
—
v.t.
to pour down on as or like hail:
The plane hailed leaflets on the city. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
