gale

noun

• 1a very strong wind:I slept well despite the howling gales outside it was blowing a gale [as modifier]:gale-force winds battered the North Sea coast
• (also fresh gale) (on the Beaufort scale) a wind of force 8 (34-40 knots or 63-74 km/h).
• a storm at sea.

• 2 (a gale of/gales of) an outburst of laughter:she collapsed into gales of laughter