whole gale: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareTechnical/Meteorological
Quick answer
What does “whole gale” mean?
A meteorological term for a very strong wind, specifically force 10 on the Beaufort wind force scale (winds of 55–63 mph / 89–102 km/h).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A meteorological term for a very strong wind, specifically force 10 on the Beaufort wind force scale (winds of 55–63 mph / 89–102 km/h).
It can figuratively refer to a tumultuous or violent situation, though this usage is rare and highly contextual.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both use the term identically within meteorological contexts. In everyday language, it is equally uncommon in both variants.
Connotations
Technical and precise; conveys no additional cultural connotation.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general corpora. Slightly more likely to appear in UK maritime or weather forecasts due to historical use of Beaufort scale terms.
Grammar
How to Use “whole gale” in a Sentence
The [weather service] issued a warning for a whole gale.Winds reached whole gale force.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “whole gale” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The shipping forecast warned of a whole gale in the Fair Isle area.
- Winds are expected to reach whole gale force by nightfall.
American English
- The National Weather Service issued a whole gale warning for the Great Lakes.
- Sustained winds of 60 mph constitute a whole gale.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- Whole-gale conditions persisted for twelve hours.
- Whole-gale warnings were hoisted.
American English
- Whole-gale force winds damaged the marina.
- The ship encountered whole-gale winds off the coast.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in meteorology, geography, and maritime studies texts.
Everyday
Extremely rare; 'severe storm' or 'strong gale' would be used instead.
Technical
Standard term in maritime weather reports and warnings.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “whole gale”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “whole gale”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “whole gale”
- Confusing it with 'hurricane' (which is a tropical cyclone and a different classification).
- Using it as a general intensifier (e.g., 'a whole gale of problems').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. On the Beaufort scale, a whole gale (Force 10) is followed by Storm (Force 11) and then Hurricane (Force 12). A hurricane-force wind is stronger.
It would sound highly technical and unusual. Most native speakers would say 'severe storm,' 'violent gale,' or simply 'very strong winds.'
Historically, yes, it implied a 'complete' or 'full' gale. In modern use, it is a fixed label for a specific wind force.
No, it is a rare, specialist term. Even terms like 'strong gale' (Force 9) and 'storm' (Force 11) are more commonly heard in public weather warnings.
A meteorological term for a very strong wind, specifically force 10 on the Beaufort wind force scale (winds of 55–63 mph / 89–102 km/h).
Whole gale is usually technical/meteorological in register.
Whole gale: in British English it is pronounced /həʊl ɡeɪl/, and in American English it is pronounced /hoʊl ɡeɪl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'WHOLE' as in 'complete' or 'total' – a 'whole gale' is a fully developed, complete storm (Force 10).
Conceptual Metaphor
A VIOLENT WIND IS AN ASSAILANT (e.g., 'The whole gale assaulted the coastline').
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary context for the term 'whole gale'?