bale

¹

[beyl]

noun

1. a large bundle or package prepared for shipping, storage, or sale, especially one tightly compressed and secured by wires, hoops, cords, or the like, and sometimes having a wrapping or covering.

   a bale of cotton; a bale of hay.

2. a group of turtles.

verb (used with object)

baled, baling 

1. to make or form into bales.

   to bale wastepaper for disposal.

bale

²

[beyl]

noun

Archaic.

1. evil; harm; misfortune.

2. woe; misery; sorrow.

bale

³

[beyl]

noun

1. bail.

bale

⁴

[beyl]

verb (used with or without object)

baled, baling 

1. a spelling variant of bail.

Bâle

⁵

[bahl]

noun

1. French name of Basel.

bale

¹

/ beɪl /

noun

1. a large bundle, esp of a raw or partially processed material, bound by ropes, wires, etc, for storage or transportation

   bale of hay

2. a large package or carton of goods

3. 500 pounds of cotton

4. a group of turtles

5. See wool bale

verb

1. to make (hay, etc) into a bale or bales

2. to put (goods) into packages or cartons

3. to pack and compress (wool) into wool bales

bale

²

/ beɪl /

noun

1. evil; injury

2. woe; suffering; pain

Bâle

³

/ bɑl /

noun

1. the French name for Basle

bale

⁴

/ beɪl /

verb

1. a variant spelling of bail 2

bale

⁵

/ beɪl /

noun

1. a variant spelling of bail 4

Other Word Forms

• baleless adjective
• baler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bale¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-Latin bala, Anglo-French bale “pack, bale,” from unattested Frankish balla; compare Old High German balo, akin to balla; ball ¹

Origin of bale²

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English bealu, balu; cognate with Old Norse bǫl, Old Saxon balu, Old High German balo, Gothic balw-; akin to Russian bolʾ “pain”

Word History and Origins

Origin of bale¹

C14: probably from Old French bale , from Old High German balla _ball ¹

Origin of bale²

Old English bealu ; related to Old Norse böl evil, Gothic balwa , Old High German balo

Related Words

• bundle