/pan"l/ , n. , v. , paneled, paneling or ( esp. Brit. ) panelled, panelling .
n.
1. a distinct portion, section, or division of a wall, wainscot, ceiling, door, shutter, fence, etc., esp. of any surface sunk below or raised above the general level or enclosed by a frame or border.
2. a comparatively thin, flat piece of wood or the like, as a large piece of plywood.
3. a group of persons gathered to conduct a public discussion, judge a contest, serve as advisers, be players on a radio or television game, or the like: a panel of political scientists meeting to discuss foreign policy.
4. a public discussion by such a group.
5. Law.
a. a list of persons summoned for service as jurors.
b. the body of persons composing a jury.
c. (in Scotland) the person or persons arraigned for trial.
6. a mount for or a surface or section of a machine containing the controls and dials.
7. Elect. a switchboard or control board, or a division of a switchboard or control board containing a set of related cords, jacks, relays, etc.
8. a broad strip of material set vertically in or on a dress, skirt, etc.
9. Painting.
a. a flat piece of wood of varying kinds on which a picture is painted.
b. a picture painted on such a piece of wood.
10. (in Britain) a list of approved or cooperating doctors available to patients under a health insurance program.
11. Aeron. a lateral subdivision of an airfoil with internal girder construction.
12. Engin. , Building Trades.
a. the space on the chord of a truss between any two adjacent joints made by principal web members with the chord.
b. the space within the web of a truss between any two such joints and a corresponding pair of joints or a single joint on an opposite chord.
13. the section between the two bands on the spine of a bound book.
14. Mining. an area of a coal seam separated for mining purposes from adjacent areas by extra thick masses or ribs of coal.
15. a pad placed under a saddle.
16. a pad, cloth, or the like, serving as a saddle.
17. a pane, as in a window.
18. a slip of parchment.
19. a photograph much longer in one dimension than the other.
v.t.
20. to arrange in or furnish with a panel or panels.
21. to ornament with a panel or panels.
22. to set in a frame as a panel.
23. to select (a jury).
24. Scots Law. to bring to trial.
[ 1250-1300; ME panel a piece (of anything), dim. of pan piece of cloth or the like. See PANE, -ELLE ]
Usage . See collective noun .