an extremely strong windThe gale blew down hundreds of trees.gale-force winds(British English)It's blowing a gale outside (= a strong wind is blowing).Wordfinderwindbreeze,buffet,calm,force,gale,gust,hurricane,prevailing,tornado,windCollocationsThe weatherGood weatherbe bathed in/bask in/be blessed with/enjoy bright/brilliant/glorious sunshine the sun shines/warms something/beats down (on something) the sunshine breaks/streams through something fluffy/wispy clouds drift across the sky a gentle/light/stiff/cool/warm/sea breeze blows in/comes in off the sea the snow crunches beneath/under somebody’s feet/bootsBad weather thick/dark/storm clouds form/gather/roll in/cover the sky/block out the sun the sky darkens/turns black a fine mist hangs in the air a dense/heavy/thick fog rolls in the rain falls/comes down (in buckets/sheets)/pours down snow falls/comes down/covers something the wind blows/whistles/howls/picks up/whips through something/sweeps across something strong/gale-force winds blow/gust (up to 80 mph) a storm is approaching/is moving inland/hits/strikes/rages thunder rolls/rumbles/sounds (forked/sheet) lightning strikes/hits/flashes a (blinding/snow) blizzard hits/strikes/blows/rages a tornado touches down/hits/strikes/destroys something/rips through somethingforecast/expect/predict rain/snow/a category-four hurricane(North American English)pour (down)/(British English)pour (down) with rainget caught in/seek shelter from/escape the rainbe covered/shrouded in mist/a blanket of fogbe in for/brave/shelter from a/the stormhear rolling/distant thunderbe battered/buffeted by strong winds(British English)be blowing a galebattle against/brave the elementsThe weather improves the sun breaks through the clouds the sky clears/brightens (up)/lightens (up) the clouds part/clear the rain stops/lets up/holds off the wind dies down the storm passes the mist/fog lifts/clearsOxford Collocations Dictionaryadjectivehowling,severe,strong,…verb + galeget caught ingale + verbblow,sweepgale + nounwarningprepositionin galephrasesbe blowing a gale,gales of laughterSeefull entrySee related entries:Wind
Word Originmid 16th cent.: perhaps related to Old Norse galinn ‘mad, frantic’.Extra examplesA strong gale was blowing along the coast.It was blowing a gale outside.It’s blowing a gale out there!The tree had come down in a fierce gale the night before.We got caught in a howling gale.gale force windsIdioms
