ENGLISH
REFERENCE

gayle

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈɡeɪɫ// gayle Archaic

n. a very strong wind. This is an old way of spelling 'gale' that people do not use anymore.

n. an archaic spelling of 'gale', referring to a very strong wind or a wind of a specific force. Obsolete in modern standard English.


SIMPLE

The old book described a fierce gayle at sea.

CONTEXTUAL

In the 17th-century manuscript, the captain noted that a sudden gayle had torn the ship's main sail.

COMPLEX

While modern readers are familiar with the standard spelling, historical texts often render the term as gayle when describing the tempestuous weather common to the North Atlantic.

Usage

Archaic spelling; use 'gale' in all modern contexts.

Pitfall

A strong gayle blew the trees down.A strong gale blew the trees down.The spelling 'gayle' is obsolete; 'gale' is the correct modern form for a strong wind.

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