What is the meaning of hail?

noun

• Precipitation of ice pellets when there are strong rising air currents.
• Many objects thrown forcefully through the air.
  • usage: "a hail of pebbles"; "a hail of bullets"
• Enthusiastic greeting.

verb

• Praise vociferously.
  • usage: "The critics hailed the young pianist as a new Rubinstein"
  • synonyms: acclaim, herald
• Be a native of.
  • usage: "She hails from Kalamazoo"
  • synonyms: come
• Call for.
  • usage: "hail a cab"
• Greet enthusiastically or joyfully.
  • synonyms: herald
• Precipitate as small ice particles.
  • usage: "It hailed for an hour"