WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Ta"les
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [L., pl. of talis such (persons).] (Law) (a) pl.
Definition : Defn: Persons added to a jury, commonly from those in or about the courthouse, to make up any deficiency in the number of jurors regularly summoned, being like, or such as, the latter. Blount. Blackstone. (b) syntactically sing.

Defn: The writ by which such persons are summoned. Tales book, a book containing the names of such as are admitted of the tales. Blount. Craig. -- Tales de circumstantibus Etym: [L.], such, or the like, from those standing about.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913