gale
/ɡeɪl
/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...
- Along the southern coastline, many large swells are generated well south of the continent by strong westerly gales that can blow unimpeded for thousands of kilometres.
- The weather was, overall, a mixed batch, varying from bright (chilly perhaps) sunshine, to snow, to strong winds and gales.
- Strong gales of wind had begun to blow through the valley.
Synonyms
storm, tempest, squall, hurricane, tornado, cyclone, typhoon, whirlwind, superstorm;
strong wind, high wind;
North American windstorm
informal burster, buster
literary flaw
1.1 (also fresh gale) (On the Beaufort scale) a wind of force 8 (34-40 knots or 63-74 km/h).In November 2000 they set off for a five-day training run and found themselves crewing the boat into the teeth of a force eight south-westerly gale....
- Mind you, as long as you can stop them blowing away, you could enjoy these chips in anything from a refreshing sea breeze to a force-9 gale.
- It was a force nine gale, a tad below a hurricane, and Rogue Wave was in a grand and powerful waltz.
1.2A storm at sea.They are winds that put the mind in tumult, sweeping us along like ships in a gale, and as storms disturb the harmony of nature, passions are discordant and jangling....
- Fleeing with other demoralized shreds of the Spanish Armada, the galley had sailed up the eastern coast of England, driven on ahead of the English fleet by gales and storms.
- After main summer leave, the ship - which was damaged by a ferry during gales last autumn in Portsmouth Harbour - will be preparing for her first major deployment, which begins late this year.
2 (a gale of/gales of) An outburst of laughter: she collapsed into gales of laughter...
- Youth shouts with a laugh, and again, the band collapses in gales of laughter.
- I blink in surprise and Sam and Ben burst into gales of laughter.
- By the time Fox was done speaking, the giggles had erupted into gales of laughter.
Synonyms
outburst, burst, eruption, explosion, effusion, attack, fit, paroxysm;
peal, howl, hoot, shriek, scream, shout, roar
Origin
Mid 16th century: perhaps related to Old Norse galinn 'mad, frantic'.