Library / English Dictionary

HAIL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Enthusiastic greeting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("hail" is a kind of...):

greeting; salutation ((usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting))

Derivation:

hail (greet enthusiastically or joyfully)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Many objects thrown forcefully through the air

Example:

a hail of bullets

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Hypernyms ("hail" is a kind of...):

object; physical object (a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Precipitation of ice pellets when there are strong rising air currents

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Hypernyms ("hail" is a kind of...):

downfall; precipitation (the falling to earth of any form of water (rain or snow or hail or sleet or mist))

Meronyms (parts of "hail"):

hailstone (small pellet of ice that falls during a hailstorm)

Derivation:

hail (precipitate as small ice particles)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Praise vociferously

Example:

The critics hailed the young pianist as a new Rubinstein

Synonyms:

acclaim; hail; herald

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "hail" is one way to...):

applaud (express approval of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue hail the movie

Sense 2

Meaning:

Greet enthusiastically or joyfully

Synonyms:

hail; herald

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "hail" is one way to...):

greet; recognise; recognize (express greetings upon meeting someone)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

hail (enthusiastic greeting)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Call for

Example:

hail a cab

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "hail" is one way to...):

call; send for (order, request, or command to come)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Be a native of

Example:

She hails from Kalamazoo

Synonyms:

come; hail

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "hail" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Verb group:

come; derive; descend (come from; be connected by a relationship of blood, for example)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 5

Meaning:

Precipitate as small ice particles

Example:

It hailed for an hour

Classified under:

Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering

Hypernyms (to "hail" is one way to...):

come down; fall; precipitate (fall from clouds)

Sentence frame:

It is ----ing

Sentence example:

It was hailing all day long

Derivation:

hail (precipitation of ice pellets when there are strong rising air currents)

Credits

 Context examples: 

I would have given a great deal to have hailed him and told him how we were placed, but it was too dangerous, lest we should be heard.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Once there, she composed herself, hailed a passing omnibus, and rolled away to town, looking very merry and mysterious.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Later, you will be hailed by VIPs as a rock star.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

It was reported by those who encountered them in their Sunday walks, that they said nothing, looked singularly dull and would hail with obvious relief the appearance of a friend.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Then away rattled the nuts down among the boughs and one of the thieves cried, “Bless me, it is hailing.”

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

A fungus genetically engineered to produce spider toxin can crush populations of malaria-spreading mosquitoes, according to a study hailed as a breakthrough by international scientists battling to combat the disease.

(Genetically modified fungus hailed as malaria breakthrough, SciDev.Net)

They hailed Brissenden and his demijohns with acclamation, and, on being introduced, Martin learned they were Andy and Parry.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Sherlock Holmes hailed a four-wheeler which was passing.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There was a cab passing as we came out, and Holmes hailed it.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"I hail from California myself," was Messner's announcement.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)