hale

¹

[ heyl ]

adjective

, hal·er, hal·est.

1. free from disease or infirmity; robust; vigorous:

   hale and hearty men in the prime of life.

   Synonyms: healthy, sound

   Antonyms: sickly

hale

²

[ heyl ]

verb (used with object)

, haled, hal·ing.

1. to compel (someone) to go:

   to hale a man into court.

2. to haul; pull.

hale

³

[ hah-ley ]

noun

1. (in Hawaii) a simple thatched-roof dwelling.

Hale

⁴

[ heyl ]

noun

1. Edward Everett, 1822–1909, U.S. clergyman and author.
2. George El·ler·y [el, -, uh, -ree], 1868–1938, U.S. astronomer.
3. Sir Matthew, 1609–76, British jurist: Lord Chief Justice 1671–76.
4. Nathan, 1755–76, American soldier hanged as a spy by the British during the American Revolution.
5. Sarah Jo·se·pha [joh-, see, -f, uh], 1788–1879, U.S. editor and author.

hale

¹

/ heɪl /

verb

1. tr to pull or drag; haul

hale

²

/ heɪl /

adjective

1. healthy and robust (esp in the phrase hale and hearty )
2. dialect.
   whole

Hale

³

/ heɪl /

noun

1. HaleGeorge Ellery18681938MUSSCIENCE: astronomer George Ellery. 1868–1938, US astronomer: undertook research into sunspots and invented the spectroheliograph
2. HaleSir Matthew16091676MEnglishLAW: judgeMISC: scholar Sir Matthew. 1609–76, English judge and scholar; Lord Chief Justice (1671–76)

Derived Forms

• ˈhaler, noun
• ˈhaleness, noun

Other Words From

• haleness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hale¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English (northern and Scottish); Old English hāl “sound, uninjured”; whole, heal ( def )

Origin of hale²

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English hal(l)en, hailen “to drag, pull,” from Old French haler, from Germanic; compare Dutch halen “to pull, fetch”; akin to Old English geholian “to get, obtain,” German holen “to fetch”; haul

Origin of hale³

First recorded in 1885–90; from Hawaiian; literally, “house, hall, building”

Word History and Origins

Origin of hale¹

C13: from Old French haler, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German halōn to fetch, Old English geholian to acquire

Origin of hale²

Old English hæl whole

Example Sentences

But, again, with enthusiasm for Modern Family waning as the buzz for Veep continues to grow, Tony Hale should win again this year.

From The Daily Beast

For two decades Sue Sally (“Sal”) Hale disguised herself as a man so that she could play in matches with men around the country.

From The Daily Beast

Morally opposed to an offered abortion, Hale decided to see the pregnancy to term.

From The Daily Beast

According to police, Hale had a blood alcohol level of .16, twice the legal limit.

From The Daily Beast

The story of classical Athens is largely a tale of naval supremacy, as John Hale has recently shown in his book Lords of the Sea.

From The Daily Beast

Was the hale old gentleman going to make a fool of himself after all?

From Project Gutenberg

Father is as likely to live as either of us—is hale and strong—with a back unbent, and a step as firm as your own.

From Project Gutenberg

Simultaneously, Generals Hale and Wheaton were coming forward with their columns, each having had some hard fighting on the way.

From Project Gutenberg

At this opportune moment Lieutenant Hale came galloping up with the rear guard.

From Project Gutenberg

In 1901 he gave his first address, and he confessed that Dr. Hale had influenced him greatly in this work.

From Project Gutenberg