gale
/geɪl/noun
1
- a very strong wind大风, 狂风：
it was almost blowing a gale
几乎是狂风大作
as modifier gale-force winds.七级至十级大风。
1.1
- （亦作 fresh gale）(on the Beaufort scale) a wind of force 8 (34-40 knots or 63-74 kph)（蒲福风级的）八级大风（34-40海里/小时或63-74公里/小时）。
1.2
- a storm at sea海上风暴。
2
a gale of/gales of
figurative a burst of sound, especially of laughter〈喻〉突发的一阵声音（尤指笑声）：she collapsed into gales of laughter.
她止不住突然发出阵阵笑声。
词源
mid 16th cent.: perhaps related to Old Norse galinn 'mad, frantic'.