Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Origin: Perhaps from Norwegian galen 'bad'

gale

 noun
     
Related topics: Nature
gale [countable]
1DN a very strong wind:
a severe gale.
it's blowing a gale British English (=it's very windy)
2

a gale/gales of laughter

a sudden loud sound of laughter:
The bar erupted into gales of laughter.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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