pall

¹

[pawl]

noun

1. a cloth, often of velvet, for spreading over a coffin, bier, or tomb.

2. a coffin.

3. anything that covers, shrouds, or overspreads, especially with darkness or gloom.

   Synonyms: melancholy, veil, shroud, shadow, darkness, cloud

4. Ecclesiastical.

   1. pallium.

   2. a linen cloth or a square cloth-covered piece of cardboard used to cover a chalice.

5. Heraldry.,  pairle.

6. Archaic.,  a cloth spread upon an altar; corporal.

7. Archaic.,  a garment, especially a robe, cloak, or the like.

verb (used with object)

1. to cover with or as with a pall.

pall

²

[pawl]

verb (used without object)

1. to have a wearying or tiresome effect (usually followed by on orupon ).

2. to become distasteful or unpleasant.

3. to become satiated or cloyed with something.

verb (used with object)

1. to satiate or cloy.

   Synonyms: surfeit, sate, glut, glut

2. to make dull, distasteful, or unpleasant.

pall

¹

/ pɔːl /

noun

1. a cloth covering, usually black, spread over a coffin or tomb

2. a coffin, esp during the funeral ceremony

3. a dark heavy covering; shroud

   the clouds formed a pall over the sky

4. a depressing or oppressive atmosphere

   her bereavement cast a pall on the party

5. heraldry an ordinary consisting of a Y-shaped bearing

6. Christianity

   1. a small square linen cloth with which the chalice is covered at the Eucharist

   2. an archaic word for pallium

7. an obsolete word for cloak

verb

1. (tr) to cover or depress with a pall

pall

²

/ pɔːl /

verb

1. to become or appear boring, insipid, or tiresome (to)

   history classes palled on me

2. to cloy or satiate, or become cloyed or satiated

Other Word Forms

• pall-like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pall¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English pal, palle “fine cloth; cloak; robe,” Old English pæll, from Latin pallium “cloak”

Origin of pall²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English pallen “impair; weaken”; shortened variant of appall

Word History and Origins

Origin of pall¹

Old English pæll, from Latin: _pallium

Origin of pall²

C14: variant of _appal

Example Sentences

A pall was cast over much of the second half.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

There will again be protests and Lord Mandelson's sacking as UK ambassador to the US has already cast a diplomatic pall over proceedings.

Read more on BBC

People just want to see Curtis and Lohan palling around in a comedy that frames their reunion like it’s the Hope Diamond.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Until then, uncertainty about his condition will continue to cast a pall over a team that with a physically sound Stafford would be regarded as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

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Altadenans are no strangers to animal sightings — there are peacocks and parrots aplenty around town — but news of a coyote and black bear palling around town together recently has locals talking.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cloak 
• shroud 
• veil