hail 有两个主要含义:
/heɪl/
It started to hail heavily during the storm yesterday.
昨天暴风雨期间开始下起了猛烈的冰雹。
The critics hailed the young director's debut film as a masterpiece that would define a generation.
评论家们称赞这位年轻导演的处女作是一部足以定义一代人的杰作。
She raised her hand to hail a taxi on the busy street.
她在繁忙的街道上举手招呼出租车。
The soldiers were hailed as heroes when they returned from the front lines.
士兵们从前线归来时被誉为英雄。
hail 作为"冰雹"的含义,源自古英语 hagol,与古北欧语 hagl 同源,属于日耳曼语族的古老词汇,指从天而降的冰粒。
hail 作为"欢呼、招呼"的含义,源自古北欧语 heill,意为"健康、完好",与英语中的 whole(完整的)和 health(健康)同根。中世纪时人们用 hail 作为问候语,类似于祝愿对方"身体健康",后来演变为"打招呼"和"称赞"的意思。