PALE


Meaning of PALE in English

I. ˈpāl noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French pel, pal stake, from Latin palus — more at pole

Date: 12th century

1. archaic : palisade , paling

2.

a. : one of the stakes of a palisade

b. : picket

3.

a. : a space or field having bounds : enclosure

b. : a territory or district within certain bounds or under a particular jurisdiction

4. : an area or the limits within which one is privileged or protected (as from censure)

conduct that was beyond the pale

5. : a perpendicular stripe on a heraldic shield

II. transitive verb

( paled ; pal·ing )

Date: 14th century

: to enclose with pales : fence

III. adjective

( pal·er ; pal·est )

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin pallidus, from pallēre to be pale — more at fallow

Date: 14th century

1. : deficient in color or intensity of color : pallid

a pale complexion

2. : not bright or brilliant : dim

a pale sun shining through the fog

3. : feeble , faint

a pale imitation

4. : deficient in chroma

a pale pink

• pale·ly ˈpāl-lē adverb

• pale·ness -nəs noun

• pal·ish ˈpā-lish adjective

IV. verb

( paled ; pal·ing )

Date: 14th century

intransitive verb

: to become pale

transitive verb

: to make pale

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.