1 [with object] call out to (someone) to attract attention:the crew hailed a fishing boat
signal (an approaching taxicab) to stop:she raised her hand to hail a cab
2 [with object] acclaim enthusiastically as being a specified thing:he has been hailed as the new James Dean
3 [no object] (hail from) have one’s home or origins in (a place):he hails from Pittsburgh
exclamation
archaic
expressing greeting or acclaim:hail, Caesar!
noun
a shout or call used to attract attention.
Phrases
within hail
(or within hailing distance)
at a distance within which someone may be called to; within earshot.
Derivatives
hailer
noun
Origin:
Middle English: from the obsolete adjective hail 'healthy' (occurring in greetings and toasts, such as wæs hæil: see wassail), from Old Norse heill, related to hale1 and whole
