Hail vs. Rain — What's the Difference?

Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It is distinct from ice pellets (American English "sleet"), though the two are often confused.

Rain is liquid water in the form of droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then become heavy enough to fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth.

Precipitation in the form of spherical or irregular pellets of ice larger than 5 millimeters (0.2 inch) in diameter, usually associated with thunderstorms.

The condensed moisture of the atmosphere falling visibly in separate drops

Something that falls with the force and quantity of a shower of ice and hard snow

Rain falls

The act of greeting or acclaiming.

Water condensed from atmospheric vapor and falling in drops.

A shout made to catch someone's attention or to greet.

A fall of such water; a rainstorm.

Hailing distance

The descent of such water.

To precipitate in pellets of ice and hard snow.

Rainy weather.

To fall like hailstones

Rains A rainy season.

To pour (something) down or forth

A heavy or abundant fall

To salute or greet.

To fall in drops of water from the clouds.

To greet or acclaim enthusiastically

To fall like rain

To call out or yell in order to catch the attention of

To release rain.

To signal or call to a passing ship as a greeting or identification.

To send or pour down.

Used to express a greeting or tribute.

To give abundantly; shower

S or pieces of ice falling as precipitation, often in connection with a thunderstorm.

Condensed water falling from a cloud.

An occurrence of this type of precipitation; a hailstorm.

(figuratively) Any matter moving or falling, usually through air, and especially if liquid or otherwise figuratively identifiable with raindrops.

A rapid, intense barrage by a large number of projectiles or other objects.

(figuratively) An instance of particles or larger pieces of matter moving or falling through air.

(impersonal) Of hail, to fall from the sky.

(impersonal) To have rain fall from the sky.

(intransitive) To send or release hail.

(intransitive) To fall as or like rain.

To pour down in rapid succession.

(transitive) To issue (something) in large quantities.

(transitive) To greet; give salutation to; salute.

Reign.

(transitive) To name; to designate; to call.

Water falling in drops from the clouds; the descent of water from the clouds in drops.

(transitive) To call out loudly in order to gain the attention of.

To fall in drops from the clouds, as water; - used mostly with it for a nominative; as, it rains.

To indicate, from a designated stop or otherwise, to the driver of a public transport vehicle that one wishes to board and travel on the vehicle, usually using hand signals such as waving.

To fall or drop like water from the clouds; as, tears rained from their eyes.

(transitive) To signal in order to initiate communication with.

To pour or shower down from above, like rain from the clouds.

(obsolete) Healthy, whole, safe.

To bestow in a profuse or abundant manner; as, to rain favors upon a person.

An exclamation of respectful or reverent salutation, or, occasionally, of familiar greeting.

Water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

Small roundish masses of ice precipitated from the clouds, where they are formed by the congelation of vapor. The separate masses or grains are called hailstones.

Drops of fresh water that fall as precipitation from clouds

A wish of health; a salutation; a loud call.

Anything happening rapidly or in quick successive;

To pour down particles of ice, or frozen vapors.

Precipitate as rain;

To pour forcibly down, as hail.

To call loudly to, or after; to accost; to salute; to address.

To name; to designate; to call.

To declare, by hailing, the port from which a vessel sails or where she is registered; hence, to sail; to come; - used with from; as, the steamer hails from New York.

To report as one's home or the place from whence one comes; to come; - with from.

Healthy. See Hale (the preferable spelling).

An exclamation of respectful or reverent salutation, or, occasionally, of familiar greeting.

Precipitation of ice pellets when there are strong rising air currents

Enthusiastic greeting

Praise vociferously;

Be a native of;

Call for;

Greet enthusiastically or joyfully

Precipitate as small ice particles;