hail

hail — noun

1. Tiny round lumps of ice produced by thunderstorms that drop from clouds as a for

1.nounB1
Definition

Tiny round lumps of ice produced by thunderstorms that drop from clouds as a form of solid precipitation.

Example

The hailstorm damaged the farmer's crops and broke several car windows.

collocation: hailstorm (severe hail event)

After the thunderstorm passed, the garden was covered in hail the size of peas.

describing size of hail: the size of [object]

Common collocations
  • heavy hail
  • hail the size of
  • hailstorm
  • hail damage
  • large hail
  • hail fell
Synonyms
  • hailstones

    refers to individual pieces rather than the mass phenomenon

  • ice pellets

    technical term; describes the physical form without the weather context

Usage Note

Generally used as an uncountable noun. To refer to individual pieces, use 'hailstone' instead.

Common Mistakes

Sleet hit the roof with a loud noise.' (when referring to hard ice balls)
Hail hit the roof with a loud noise.
sleet is partly melted ice and rain, while hail is solid ice pellets from thunderstorms.

2. A large number of similar things, such as questions, criticisms, or objects, tha

2.nounB2
Definition

A large number of similar things, such as questions, criticisms, or objects, that come at someone quickly and forcefully all at once.

Example

The mayor faced a hail of angry questions from reporters after the announcement.

pattern: a hail of [questions/criticisms]

Stray bullets from the shootout created a dangerous hail of metal fragments.

Common collocations
  • a hail of bullets
  • a hail of questions
  • a hail of criticism
  • a hail of complaints
Synonyms
  • barrage

    more common in military contexts but used similarly for questions/criticism

  • volley

    often implies a shorter, more concentrated burst

  • shower

    softer and less forceful than a hail of something

Grammar Patterns

a hail of + noun

Usage Note

Always followed by 'of' (a hail of something). The image comes from the weather sense — things arrive as thick and fast as falling ice.

Common Mistakes

There was a hail bullets.
There was a hail of bullets.
the preposition 'of' is required after 'hail' in this sense.

hail — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/3

Hail, acclaim, applaud, extol, and praise all express approval, but differ in formality and context. Hail is the most public and journalistic — it implies a collective or official recognition, often in the passive voice ('was hailed as'). Acclaim is similar in register but stronger, suggesting widespread public enthusiasm. Applaud can be literal (clapping) or figurative support for an idea; it is less formal than hail. Extol is literary and emphatic, involving detailed, passionate praise. Praise is the most general and everyday word. For example, a newspaper might hail a discovery as revolutionary, a teacher may praise a student's effort, and a critic might extol the beauty of a poem.

acclaim ↗applaud ↗extolpraise ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishOld NorseEnglish

The noun and weather verb hail come from Old English 'hægel' (ice pellets), related to German 'Hagel' and Old Norse 'hagl'. The 'call out' meaning developed from Old Norse 'heilla' (to greet or call), and later extended to 'praise publicly' in the 16th century. 'Hail from' combines the call-out sense with the idea of identifying someone's place of origin.