wale

[ weyl ]

/ weɪl /

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See synonyms for: wale / wales on Thesaurus.com

noun

a streak, stripe, or ridge produced on the skin by the stroke of a rod or whip; welt.

the vertical rib in knit goods or a chain of loops running lengthwise in knit fabric (opposed to course).

the texture or weave of a fabric.

Nautical.

any of certain strakes of thick outside planking on the sides of a wooden ship.
gunwale.

Also called breast timber, ranger, waling .Engineering, Building Trades. a horizontal timber or other support for reinforcing various upright members, as sheet piling or concrete form boards, or for retaining earth at the edge of an excavation.

a ridge on the outside of a horse collar.

verb (used with object), waled, wal·ing.

to mark with wales.

to weave with wales.

Engineering, Building Trades. to reinforce or fasten with a wale or wales.

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Origin of wale

First recorded before 1050; Middle English; Old English walu “ridge, rib, welt”; cognate with Old Norse vǫlr, Gothic walus “rod, wand”; see wheal;

Other definitions for wale (2 of 2)

wale²

[ weyl ]

/ weɪl /

Scot. and North England

noun

something that is selected as the best; choice.

verb (used with object), waled, wal·ing.

tochoose; select.

Origin of wale

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English noun wal(e), from Old Norse val “choice,”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use wale in a sentence

O most intimate and most awful of all our secrets, the secrets of a love-waled, love-substituted cross!
Samuel Rutherford|Alexander Whyte
In this valley, amongst the trees, we found the flocks and horses of the Waled Bou Seif feeding.
Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 1|James Richardson
When the meeting separated, there was another affair brought on the carpet by Hateetah and Waled Shafou.
Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 1|James Richardson
Hateetah upon this went off in a rage, and Waled Shafou stayed behind, pretending to seize our servants.
Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 1|James Richardson

Besides this sum, Hateetah and Waled Shafou had each of them received a present of about a hundred mahboubs.
Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 1|James Richardson

British Dictionary definitions for wale (1 of 2)

wale¹

/ (weɪl) /

noun

the raised mark left on the skin after the stroke of a rod or whip

the weave or texture of a fabric, such as the ribs in corduroy
a vertical row of stitches in knittingCompare course (def. 14)

nautical

a ridge of planking along the rail of a ship
See gunwale

verb (tr)

to raise a wale or wales on by striking

to weave with a wale

Word Origin for wale

Old English walu weal 1; related to Old Norse vala knuckle, Dutch wäle

British Dictionary definitions for wale (2 of 2)

wale²

/ (weɪl) Scot and Northern English dialect /

noun

a choice

anything chosen as the best

adjective

choice

verb

(tr) to choose

Word Origin for wale

C14: from Old Norse val choice, related to German Wahl

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

wale

Origin of wale

Other definitions for wale (2 of 2)

Origin of wale

Words related to wale

How to use wale in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for wale (1 of 2)

Word Origin for wale

British Dictionary definitions for wale (2 of 2)

Word Origin for wale