GALE


Meaning of GALE in English

/ geɪl; NAmE / noun

1.

an extremely strong wind :

The gale blew down hundreds of trees.

gale-force winds

( BrE )

It's blowing a gale outside (= a strong wind is blowing) .

2.

gale(s) of laughter the sound of people laughing very loudly :

His speech was greeted with gales of laughter.

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WORD ORIGIN

mid 16th cent.: perhaps related to Old Norse galinn mad, frantic.

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.