ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hale

n.
C2 Proficiency US //ˈheɪɫ// UK //hˈeɪl// hale Archaic

n. strong and healthy, especially when talking about an older person. You use this to describe someone who is still active and full of life despite their age.

n. strong and healthy; robust. Frequently paired with 'hearty' to describe the physical condition of an elderly person.


SIMPLE

My grandfather is eighty years old but still hale and hearty.

CONTEXTUAL

Despite his advanced age, the retired captain remained hale enough to sail his small boat every morning.

COMPLEX

The portrait depicted a hale gentleman in his twilight years, whose bright eyes and upright posture suggested a life spent in vigorous outdoor pursuit.

Synonyms
Origin

* As an English surname, Old English dative form of halh (“hollow, nook”). * Also as an English surname, from Old English hæle (“hero”). Compare Hain. * As an Irish surname, from mac céile; see McHale. * As a Jewish surname, variant of Halle.

Usage

Commonly occurs in the fixed idiomatic expression 'hale and hearty'.

Idioms1 entry

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