hail2

 
Pronunciation: /heɪl/

verb

  • 1 [with object] call out to (someone) to attract attention: I hailed her in English
  • signal (an approaching taxi) to stop: she raised her hand to hail a cab
  • 2 [with object] praise (someone or something) enthusiastically: he has been hailed as the new James Dean
  • 3 [no object] (hail from) have one’s home or origins in (a place): they hail from Turkey

exclamation

archaic
  • expressing greeting or acclaim: hail, Caesar!

noun

  • a shout or call used to attract attention.

Phrases

all hail

archaic or humorous
a cry of greeting or welcome: all hail the new kids on the block

within hail

dated at a distance within which someone may be called to; within earshot: the line keeps within hail of the River Dee

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