WALE


Meaning of WALE in English

wale 1

/wayl/ , n. , v. , waled, waling .

n.

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

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

3. the texture or weave of a fabric.

4. Naut.

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

b. gunwale.

5. Also called breast timber, ranger, waling . Engin., 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.

6. a ridge on the outside of a horse collar.

v.t.

7. to mark with wales.

8. to weave with wales.

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

[ bef. 1050; (n.) ME; OE walu ridge, rib, WHEAL; c. ON volr, Goth walus rod, wand; (v.) late ME, deriv. of the n. ]

wale 2

/wayl/ , n. , v. , waled, waling . Scot. and North Eng.

n.

1. something that is selected as the best; choice.

v.t.

2. to choose; select.

[ 1250-1300; ME wal ( e ) val choice, velja to choose ]

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .