A gale is a very strong wind, stronger than a breeze but not quite as violent as a hurricane. When meteorologists measure wind speed, they classify winds between 32 and 63 miles per hour as gales. That's strong enough to make trees sway dramatically, rip shingles off roofs, and make walking forward feel like pushing against an invisible wall.

Sailors have long feared gales because these powerful winds can damage ships, tear sails, and create dangerously high waves. Before modern weather forecasting, a sudden gale could spell disaster for ships far from shore. When you read old adventure novels about sailing, you'll often encounter gale-force winds threatening the crew.

The word also appears in phrases like gales of laughter, which describes loud, uncontrollable laughing that seems to blow through a room like wind. When something is hilariously funny, people might laugh in gales, their laughter coming in powerful bursts.