I. hale adjective
also hail ˈhāl, esp before pause or consonant -āəl
( -er/-est )
Etymology: partly from Middle English (northern dialect) hal, hale, from Old English hāl; partly from Middle English hail, heil, from Old Norse heill — more at whole
1. : free from defect, disease, or infirmity : sound , healthy , robust
a hale body
hale in youth
2. chiefly Scotland : whole
Synonyms: see healthy
II. hale adverb
Etymology: partly from Middle English hal, hale, from hal, hale, adjective; partly from Middle English hail, heil, from hail, heil, adjective
now dialect Britain : wholly
III. hale verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English halen, from Middle French haler — more at haul
transitive verb
1. : haul , pull , draw
2. : to compel (a person) to go
hale a vagrant into court
3. obsolete : vex , annoy
intransitive verb
1. obsolete : to move briskly (as of a ship)
2. now dialect Britain : to pour or flow copiously
the sweat was haling off him
3. : to pull or tug
haling at the plow
Synonyms: see pull
IV. ha·le ˈhä(ˌ)lā noun
( -s )
Etymology: Hawaiian
in Hawaii : house