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Webster 1913 Edition

Gale

Gale

(gāl)
,
Noun.
[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. nightin
gale
; also, Icel.
gjōla
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
.
☞ Gales have a velocity of from about eighteen (“moderate”) to about eighty (“very heavy”) miles an our.
Sir. W. S. Harris.
2.
A moderate current of air; a breeze.
A little
gale
will soon disperse that cloud.
Shakespeare
And winds of gentlest
gale
Arabian odors fanned
From their soft wings.
Milton.
3.
A state of excitement, passion, or hilarity.
The ladies, laughing heartily, were fast getting into what, in New England, is sometimes called a
gale
.
Brooke (Eastford).
Topgallant gale
(Naut.)
,
one in which a ship may carry her topgallant sails.

Gale

,
Verb.
I.
(Naut.)
To sale, or sail fast.

Gale

,
Noun.
[OE.
gal
. See
Gale
wind.]
A song or story.
[Obs.]
Toone.

Gale

,
Verb.
I.
[AS.
galan
. See 1st
Gale
.]
To sing.
[Obs.]
“Can he cry and gale.”
Court of Love.

Gale

,
Noun.
[AS.
gagel
, akin to D.
gagel
.]
(Bot.)
A plant of the genus
Myrica
, growing in wet places, and strongly resembling the bayberry. The sweet gale (
Myrica Gale
) is found both in Europe and in America.

Gale

,
Noun.
[Cf.
Gabel
.]
The payment of a rent or annuity.
[Eng.]
Mozley & W.
Gale day
,
the day on which rent or interest is due.

Webster 1828 Edition

Gale

GALE

,
Noun.
A current of air; a strong wind. The sense of this word is very indefinite. The poets use it in the sense of a moderate breeze of current of air, as a gentle gale. A stronger wind is called a fresh gale.
In the language of seamen, the word gale,unaccompanied by an epithet, signifies a vehement wind, a storm or tempest. They say, the ship carried away her top-mast in a gale, or gale of wind; the ship rode out the gale. But the word is often qualified, as a hard or strong gale, a violent gale. A current of wind somewhat less violent is denominated a stiff gale. A less vehement wind is called a fresh gale, which is a wind not too strong for a ship to carry single reefed top-sails, when close hauled. When the wind is not so violent but that a ship will carry her top-sails a-trip or full spread, it is called a loom-gale.

GALE

,
Verb.
I.
In seamen's language, to sail, or sail fast.

Definition 2024

galé

galé

See also: gale, Gale, and galè

French

Verb

galé m ‎(feminine singular galée, masculine plural galés, feminine plural galées)

  1. past participle of galer

Portuguese

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old Portuguese galee, from Old French galée, from Byzantine Greek γαλέα ‎(galéa).

Pronunciation

  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /ɡɐ.ˈlɛ/
  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /ɡa.ˈlɛ/
  • Rhymes: -ɛ
  • Hyphenation: ga‧lé

Noun

galé f (plural galés)

  1. (nautical) galley (ship propelled primarily by oars)

Synonyms

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