hail

Hail means to cheer or greet with respect. (verb)

An example of hail is to applaud as the king enters the room.

Hail is a type of precipitation made up of small balls of ice. (noun)

An example of hail is what may fall from the sky during a thunderstorm.

See hail in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

noun

interjection

used to signify tribute, greeting, etc.

Related Forms:

noun

rounded pieces of ice that are larger than 5 mm (.2 in) and sometimes fall during thunderstorms; frozen raindrops; hailstones
a falling, showering, etc. of hail, or in the manner of hail: a hail of bullets

intransitive verb

to drop or pour down hail: usually in an impersonal construction: it is hailing

transitive verb

to shower, hurl, pour, etc. violently in the manner of hail: often with on or upon: to hail curses on someone

See hail in American Heritage Dictionary 4

(hāl)

noun

Precipitation in the form of spherical or irregular pellets of ice larger than 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) in diameter.
Something that falls with the force and quantity of a shower of ice and hard snow: a hail of pebbles; a hail of criticism.

verb hailed, hail·ing, hails

verb, intransitive

verb, transitive

To pour (something) down or forth: They hailed insults at me.

(hāl)

verb hailed, hail·ing, hails

verb, transitive

a. To salute or greet.
b. To greet or acclaim enthusiastically: The crowds hailed the boxing champion.
To call out or yell in order to catch the attention of: hail a cabdriver.

verb, intransitive

To signal or call to a passing ship as a greeting or identification.

noun