Hail (?), n. [OE. hail, hael, AS. haegel; akin to D., G., Dan., & Sw. hagel; Icel. hagl; cf. Gr. pebble.]
Small roundish masses of ice precipitated from the clouds, where they are formed by the congelation of vapor. The separate masses or grains are called hailstones.
Thunder mixed with hail,
Hail mixed with fire, must rend the Egyptian sky.
Milton.
© Webster 1913.
Hail, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Halled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Halting.] [OE. hailen, AS. haqalian.]
To pour down particles of ice, or frozen vapors.
© Webster 1913.
Hail, v. t.
To pour forcibly down, as hail.
Shak.
© Webster 1913.
Hail, a.
Healthy. See Hale (the preferable spelling).
© Webster 1913.
Hail, v. t. [OE. hailen, heilen, Icel. heil hale, sound, used in greeting. See Hale sound.]
1.
To call loudly to, or after; to accost; to salute; to address.
2.
To name; to designate; to call.
And such a son as all men hailed me happy.
Milton.
© Webster 1913.
Hail, v. i.
1.
To declare, by hailing, the port from which a vessel sails or where she is registered; hence, to sail; to come; -- used with from; as, the steamer hails from New York.
2.
To report as one's home or the place from whence one comes; to come; -- with from.
[Colloq.]
G. G. Halpine.
© Webster 1913.
Hail, interj. [See Hail, v. t.]
An exclamation of respectful or reverent salutation, or, occasionally, of familiar greeting.
"
Hail, brave friend."
Shak.
All hail. See in the Vocabulary. -- Hail Mary, a form of prayer made use of in the Roman Catholic Church in invocation of the Virgin. See Ave Maria.
© Webster 1913.
Hail, n.
A wish of health; a salutation; a loud call.
"Their puissant
hail."
M. Arnold.
The angel hail bestowed.
Milton.
© Webster 1913.