hail.

Balls or irregular pieces of ice falling from storm clouds.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• hail shower
• heavy hail
• hail damage

On the page

Hail bounced off the rocks beside the road.

The hail shredded the broad pumpkin leaves.

When the cloud passed, hail lay in the grass like scattered beads.

Usage notes

Primary category: environment. Distinct from snowflakes and the smaller ice pellets called sleet in American usage. Mass noun; individual pieces are hailstones; Verb: hail, hails, hailed, hailing.