hail
UK: heɪl | US: heɪl
n. frozen raindrops falling in showers
vt. to greet or acclaim enthusiastically
vt. to call out to (e.g., a taxi)
vi. (of precipitation) to fall as hail
The word "hail" has two distinct origins. The first traces back to Old English hagol, referring to icy precipitation, likely from Proto-Germanic haglaz. The second derives from Old Norse heill, used as a salutation (e.g., "Hail, friend!" implying "be healthy"). Over time, the greeting sense evolved into verbs meaning "to acclaim" or "to summon." Despite identical spelling, the two meanings are etymologically unrelated—a rare case of homonymy.
The storm brought heavy hail, damaging crops.
Critics hailed the film as a masterpiece.
She stood on the curb, hailing a taxi.
"Hail to the Chief!" played as the president entered.
The sudden hailstones forced us to seek shelter.