A soft or mild current of air in older or poetic writing.
Examples
The poem speaks of a soft gale over the meadow.
A refreshing gale stirred the curtains in the old verse.
The sailor in the ballad prayed for a kindly gale.
Older travel writing may call a light sea breeze a gale.
The phrase gentle gale now sounds deliberately antique.
Similar words
breeze
zephyr
air
waft
Sweet gale shrub
noun
botany
technical
A shortened name for sweet gale, the aromatic bog shrub also called bog myrtle.
Examples
Sweet gale grows in wet, acidic ground.
The botanist pointed out gale along the edge of the fen.
Dried gale leaves have a resinous scent.
Bog myrtle is another common name for sweet gale.
The reserve protects stands of gale and other wetland shrubs.
Similar words
sweet gale
bog myrtle
sweet willow
Myrica gale
Etymology
The wind noun is recorded from the mid sixteenth century and is of uncertain origin, perhaps connected with Scandinavian words for furious weather or older Germanic words for loud sound. The plant name belongs to a separate Old English line seen in sweet gale.
FAQ
What does gale mean?
Gale most often means a very strong wind. It can also mean a loud outburst, especially in gales of laughter.
How strong is a gale?
In technical weather use, a gale is generally a wind in the strong range below storm or hurricane force, often around 32 to 63 miles per hour depending on the scale used.
Is a gale the same as a hurricane?
No. A gale is serious strong wind, but a hurricane is a much stronger organized tropical cyclone.
What are gales of laughter?
Gales of laughter are loud bursts of laughter, often from a group of people.
Can gale be used as a verb?
Not in ordinary modern English. Use laugh, blow, or another specific verb unless quoting a rare dialect or archaic use.
Can gale mean a gentle breeze?
Yes, but that sense is archaic or literary. In modern weather writing, gale means a strong wind.
What is sweet gale?
Sweet gale is an aromatic wetland shrub also called bog myrtle. In botanical contexts it may be shortened to gale.
Where does gale come from?
The wind word is uncertain, with possible Scandinavian or Germanic links to furious weather and loud sound. The plant name comes from a separate Old English source.
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