HAIL, v.i. To pour down masses of ice or frozen vapors.
HAIL, v.t. To pour.
HAIL, a. [Gr. whole.] Sound; whole; healthy; not impaired by disease; as a hail body; hail corn. [In this sense, it is usually written hale.]
HAIL, an exclamation, or rather a verb in the imperative mode, being the adjective hail, used as a verb. Hail, be well; be in health; health to you; a term of salutation, equivalent to L. salve, salvete.
Hail, hail, brave friend.
HAIL, n. A wish of health; a salutation. This word is sometimes used as a noun; as, the angel hail bestowed.
HAIL, v.t. [L. calo. See Call and Heal.] To call; to call to a person at a distance, to arrest his attention. It is properly used in any case where the person accosted is distant, but is appropriately used by seamen. Hoa or hoi, the ship ahoay, is the usual manner of hailing; to which the answer is holloa, or hollo. Then follow the usual questions, whence came ye? where are you bound? _c.
