ETYM Old Eng. hailen, heilen, Icel. heill hale, sound, used in greeting. Related to Hale sound.
(Homonym: hale).
1. To greet enthusiastically.
2. To call for, as of cabs.
3. To precipitate as small ice particles.

Used to express acclamation.
Enthusiastic greeting.

ETYM Old Eng. hail, hayel, AS. haegel, hagol; akin to Dutch, German, Dan., and Swed. hagel; Icel. hagl; cf. Greek kachlex pebble.
(Homonym: hale).
Precipitation of ice pellets when there are strong rising air currents.
Precipitation in the form of pellets of ice (hailstones). It is caused by the circulation of moisture in strong convection currents, usually within cumulonimbus clouds.
Water droplets freeze as they are carried upward. As the circulation continues, layers of ice are deposited around the droplets until they become too heavy to be supported by the currents and they fall as a hailstorm.