Weather / B1

HAYL/heɪl/

To hail is to praise someone as something (hail as a breakthrough) or to call a taxi. As a noun, hail is frozen rain (uncountable in weather reports). Praise is the everyday twin for the verb. Do not mix with hale (old-fashioned “healthy”). Ministers hail a drop in unemployment.

Meaning

To praise someone as something; also to call a taxi; as a noun, frozen rain.

Examples

• “Ministers hailed the drop in youth unemployment as a turning point.”
• “Hail damaged the conservatories, which is the weather noun.”

Good to know

hail someone as + noun. Taxi: hail a cab. Weather noun: hail (uncountable). Everyday: praise. Mix-up: hale. Political news.

Near in meaning

praise

Topics

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