gale

¹

[ geyl ]

noun

1. a very strong wind.
2. Meteorology. a wind of 32–63 miles per hour (14–28 meters per second).
3. a noisy outburst:

   a gale of laughter filled the room.

   Synonyms: gust, fit, outbreak, eruption, burst

4. Archaic. a gentle breeze.

gale

²

[ geyl ]

noun

1. sweet gale.

Gale

³

[ geyl ]

noun

1. Zo·na [zoh, -n, uh], 1874–1938, U.S. novelist, short-story writer, playwright, and poet.
2. a female or male given name.

gale

¹

/ ɡeɪl /

noun

1. a strong wind, specifically one of force seven to ten on the Beaufort scale or from 45 to 90 kilometres per hour
2. often plural a loud outburst, esp of laughter
3. archaic.
   a gentle breeze

gale

²

/ ɡeɪl /

noun

1. short for sweet gale

Word History and Origins

Origin of gale¹

First recorded in 1540–50; perhaps from Scandinavian; compare Norwegian dialect geil “uproar, unrest, boiling”

Origin of gale²

before 1000; Middle English gail, Old English gagel; cognate with German Gagel

Word History and Origins

Origin of gale¹

C16: of unknown origin

Origin of gale²

Old English gagel; related to Middle Low German gagel

Example Sentences

In the book Baum merely set her wickedness as antipodal to Dorothy Gale’s pluck and goodness.

From Salon

Coastal areas of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent could also feel “near gale force” winds, he added.

From BBC

In response to ProPublica’s questions about Houston Methodist’s guidance on miscarriage management, a spokesperson, Gale Smith, said that the hospital has an ethics committee, which can usually respond within hours to help physicians and patients make “appropriate decisions” in compliance with state laws.

From Salon

Alex Morrison, who spent 10 years as Master of the ship from 1987, recalls getting hit by a Force 10 gale as the ship approached Skye.

From BBC

Brian Gale’s lighting and Cricket Myers’ sound design fine-tune the intricately layered mis-en-scene.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cyclone
• hurricane
• monsoon
• squall
• tornado
• wind
• windstorm