Gale
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Gale \Gale\ (g[=a]l), n. [Prob. of Scand. origin; cf. Dan. gal
furious, Icel. galinn, cf. Icel. gala to sing, AS. galan to
sing, Icel. galdr song, witchcraft, AS. galdor charm,
sorcery, E. nightingale; also, Icel. gj[=o]la gust of wind,
gola breeze. Cf. {Yell}.]
1. A strong current of air; a wind between a stiff breeze and
a hurricane. The most violent gales are called {tempests}.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Gales have a velocity of from about eighteen
("moderate") to about eighty ("very heavy") miles an
our. --Sir. W. S. Harris.
[1913 Webster]
2. A moderate current of air; a breeze.
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A little gale will soon disperse that cloud. --Shak.
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And winds of gentlest gale Arabian odors fanned
From their soft wings. --Milton.
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3. A state of excitement, passion, or hilarity.
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The ladies, laughing heartily, were fast getting
into what, in New England, is sometimes called a
gale. --Brooke
(Eastford).
[1913 Webster]
{Topgallant gale} (Naut.), one in which a ship may carry her
topgallant sails.
[1913 Webster]
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
68 Moby Thesaurus words for "gale":
air, black squall, blast, blaze, blizzard, blow, breeze, burst,
convulsion, cooling breeze, cyclone, equinoctial, eruption,
explosion, fit, flare-up, gentle wind, gust, half a gale,
heavy blow, howl, hurricane, ill wind, irruption, light air,
light breeze, light wind, line squall, line storm, moderate breeze,
ocean breeze, onshore breeze, outbreak, outburst, paroxysm, peal,
roar, scream, sea breeze, seizure, shout, shriek, softblowing wind,
spasm, squall, squall line, storm, storm wind, stormy winds,
strong wind, tempest, tempestuous wind, thick squall,
thundersquall, tornado, tropical cyclone, turbulence, typhoon,
ugly wind, upheaval, violent blow, whirlwind, white squall,
whole gale, williwaw, wind-shift line, windstorm, zephyr
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