hail 1
— hailer , n.
/hayl/ , 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.
4. to call out in order to greet, attract attention, etc.: The people on land hailed as we passed in the night.
5. hail from , to have as one's place of birth or residence: Nearly everyone here hails from the Midwest.
n.
6. a shout or call to attract attention: They answered the hail of the marooned boaters.
7. a salutation or greeting: a cheerful hail.
8. the act of hailing.
9. within hail , within range of hearing; audible: The mother kept her children within hail of her voice.
interj.
10. (used as a salutation, greeting, or acclamation.)
[ 1150-1200; ME haile, earlier heilen, deriv. of hail health heill; c. OE hael. See HEAL, WASSAIL ]
Syn. 2. cheer, applaud, honor, exalt, laud, extol.
hail 2
/hayl/ , 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.
4. to pour down hail (often used impersonally with it as subject): It hailed this afternoon.
5. to fall or shower as hail: Arrows hailed down on the troops as they advanced.
v.t.
6. to pour down on as or like hail: The plane hailed leaflets on the city.
[ bef. 900; ME; OE haegl, var. of hagol; c. G Hagel, ON hagl ]