I. pal 1 /pæl/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Romany ; Origin: phral , phal 'brother, friend' , from Sanskrit bhratr 'brother' ]
1 . informal a close friend ⇨ mate :
We’ve been pals since we were at school.
an old pal (=a friend you have had for a long time)
2 . spoken used to speak to a man in an unfriendly way:
Look, pal, I don’t want you hanging around.
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THESAURUS
▪ friend someone who you know and like very much and enjoy spending time with:
Dad, this is my friend Steve.
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She’s going to Palm Springs with some friends.
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I got a letter from a friend from college.
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Amy’s a close friend of mine.
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John was a really good friend to me when I had all those problems last year.
▪ acquaintance /əˈkweɪnt ə ns/ someone who you know and see sometimes, but who is not one of your close friends:
We borrowed the money from one of Paul’s business acquaintances.
▪ mate British English informal a friend – used especially about boys or men:
He always goes to the pub with his mates on Friday night.
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Terry’s an old mate of mine.
▪ buddy American English informal a friend – used especially about men or young people:
He’s out playing basketball with some of his high school buddies.
▪ pal informal a friend – pal sounds rather old-fashioned:
They met at school and have remained close pals.
▪ crony [usually plural] disapproving a friend – used about powerful people who will help each other even if it is slightly dishonest:
He’s one of the President’s cronies.
▪ companion written someone who spends time with you, doing the same things as you – used about animals as well as people:
travelling companions
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His dog was his constant companion.
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the perfect companion
▪ the girls informal a woman’s female friends:
We’re having a girls’ night out.
▪ the lads British English informal a man’s male friends:
a night out with the lads
II. pal 2 BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle palled , present participle palling )
pal around phrasal verb
American English if you pal around with someone, you do things together as friends
pal around with
It was nice having someone to pal around with.
pal up phrasal verb
British English to become someone’s friend
pal up with
She palled up with Neil while travelling round Europe.