hailstone

Everyday

A small ball of ice that falls from storm clouds, like frozen rain; many hailstones together are called hail. tree →

In the lessons

In science and weather lessons: hail forms in tall thunderclouds when raindrops are carried up high, freeze, and grow in layers of ice until they are heavy enough to fall. Hailstones are usually pea-sized but can be as big as a golf ball. Safety: big hail can hurt people and dent cars, so go indoors.

Examples

• A hailstone bounced off the car roof. tree →
• Some hailstones were as big as marbles. tree →
• We cut a hailstone in half and saw rings of ice inside. tree →
• The hailstones made a loud noise on the tin roof. tree →
• Hailstones melted quickly on the warm path. tree →
• Go inside when the hailstones start to fall. tree →
• Mongan’s men made a roof of their shields, and the hailstones battered on the shields so terribly that even under them they were afraid. tree →

Note

Countable: a hailstone, hailstones; «hail» is uncountable: «There was hail» (not «a hail»). Hail is not snow: hailstones are hard lumps of ice, snowflakes are soft crystals. Hail often falls in summer storms, not only in winter.

In Jewish tradition

Hail is often a sign of God's power and judgment, as in the plague of hail in Egypt. Here it comes with thunder and coals of fire.

Interpretation. Tradition reads these storms as signs of God's voice and justice, and Ezekiel uses hail against false prophets whose whitewash covers a weak wall.

Examples

• At the brightness before Him, there passed through His thick clouds hailstones and coals of fire. (Writings PSA.18.13, JPS 1917) tree →
• The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice; hailstones and coals of fire. (Writings PSA.18.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• say unto them that daub it with whited plaster, that it shall fall; there shall be an overflowing shower, and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall, and a stormy wind shall break forth, (Prophets EZK.13.11, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable: a hailstone, hailstones; «hail» is uncountable: «There was hail» (not «a hail»). Hail is not snow: hailstones are hard lumps of ice, snowflakes are soft crystals. Hail often falls in summer storms, not only in winter.