gale force wind

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A very strong wind with a speed on the Beaufort scale of roughly 34 to 40 knots, strong enough to damage trees and buildings.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say a gale force wind or gale force winds. Often used in the plural in weather reports.

   Patterns

   • gale force winds
   • winds of gale force
   • blow at gale force

   Gale force winds brought down power lines across the coast last night.

   The ferry was cancelled because gale force winds were forecast for the afternoon.

   Roofs were torn off in gale force winds reaching 75 miles per hour.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noun

   Used before another noun to describe wind that is blowing at gale force.

   Grammar: Comes directly before a noun, as in gale force winds; it does not stand alone after a verb.

   Patterns

   • gale force winds
   • gale force conditions

   Fishermen stayed in port during the gale force conditions.

   The crew battled gale force winds for six hours.

Word forms

Common combinations

gale force winds

Gale force winds are expected along the south coast tomorrow.

blow at gale force

The wind was blowing at gale force by midnight.

gale force conditions

Sailing was impossible in gale force conditions.

reach gale force

Forecasters say the winds could reach gale force by evening.

Synonyms and how they differ

storm-force wind

Stronger than a gale force wind; it describes winds at the top of the Beaufort scale, so it is not a direct replacement.

high wind

A more general term for any strong wind, without the precise measurement that gale force gives.

Opposites

Word family

gale noun

A very strong wind; the base word from which gale force comes.

Commonly confused: gale force wind or gale warning?

Practice

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