pall-mall

¹ American  

[pel-mel, pal-mal, pawl-mawl] / ˈpɛlˈmɛl, ˈpælˈmæl, ˈpɔlˈmɔl /

noun

1. a game, popular in the 17th century, in which a ball of boxwood was struck with a mallet in an attempt to drive it through a raised iron ring at the end of a playing alley.

2. a playing alley on which this game was played.

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Pall Mall ² American  

[pal mal, pel mel] / ˈpæl ˈmæl, ˈpɛl ˈmɛl /

noun

1. a street in London, England, famed for its clubs.

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pall-mall ¹ British  

/ ˈpælˈmæl /

noun

1. a game in which a ball is driven by a mallet along an alley and through an iron ring

2. the alley itself

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Pall Mall ² British  

/ ˈpæl ˈmæl /

noun

1. a street in central London, noted for its many clubs

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Etymology

Origin of pall-mall

1560–70; < Middle French pallemaille < Italian pallamaglio, equivalent to palla ball (< Langobardic ) + maglio mallet (< Latin malleus ). See ball ¹, mall, mell ²

Example Sentences

It was merely a matter of lining up the two in sync, making a match between my pall-mall thought and aphasia.

From New York Times

As the game of pall-mall went out of fashion the Mall became a promenade, and was the resort of the Court.

From Project Gutenberg

But my answers were always, "Oh, nothing but Castlemain's new tantrum," or "The duke's defeat at pall-mall."

From Project Gutenberg

If he played pall-mall she often watched him, and sometimes played herself.

From Project Gutenberg

The Mall, St. James's Park, was formed for Charles II, who was very fond of the game 'pall-mall'.

From Project Gutenberg