WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Wale
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [AS. walu a mark of stripes or blows, probably originally, a rod; akin to Icel. v?lr, Goth. walus a rod, staff. sq. root146. Cf. Goal, Weal a wale.]
Definition : 1. A streak or mark made on the skin by a rod or whip; a stripe; a wheal. See Wheal. Holland.

2. A ridge or streak rising above the surface, as of cloth; hence, the texture of cloth. Thou 'rt rougher far, And of a coarser wale, fuller of pride. Beau & Fl.

3. (Carp.)

Defn: A timber bolted to a row of piles to secure them together and in position. Knight.

4. (Naut.) (a) pl.

Defn: Certain sets or strakes of the outside planking of a vessel; as, the main wales, or the strakes of planking under the port sills of the gun deck; channel wales, or those along the spar deck, etc. (b) A wale knot, or wall knot. Wale knot. (Naut.) See Wall knot, under 1st Wall.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913

Pronunciation : Wale
Part of Speech : v.
Definition : 1. To mark with wales, or stripes.

2. To choose; to select; specifically (Mining), to pick out the refuse of (coal) by hand, in order to clean it. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

t.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913