Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Peal

Peal

(pēl)
,
Noun.
[Etymol. uncertain.]
(Zool.)
A small salmon; a grilse; a sewin.
[Prov. Eng.]

Peal

,
Verb.
I.
To appeal.
[Obs.]
Spencer.

Peal

,
Noun.
[An abbrev. of F.
appel
a call, appeal, ruffle of a drum, fr.
appeller
to call, L.
appellare
. See
Appeal
.]
1.
A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts, of a multitude, etc.
“A fair peal of artillery.”
Hayward.
Whether those
peals
of praise be his or no.
Shakespeare
And a deep thunder,
peal
on
peal
, afar.
Byron.
2.
A set of bells tuned to each other according to the diatonic scale; also, the changes rung on a set of bells.
To ring a peal
.
See under
Ring
.

Peal

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Pealed
(pēld)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Pealing
.]
1.
To utter or give out loud sounds.
There let the
pealing
organ blow.
Milton.
2.
To resound; to echo.
And the whole air
pealed

With the cheers of our men
.
Longfellow.

Peal

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To utter or give forth loudly; to cause to give out loud sounds; to noise abroad.
The warrior’s name,
Though
pealed
and chimed on all the tongues of fame.
J. Barlow.
2.
To assail with noise or loud sounds.
Nor was his ear less
pealed
.
Milton.
3.
To pour out.
[Prov. Eng.]
Halliwell.

Webster 1828 Edition


Peal

PEAL

,
Noun.
[from L. pello, whence appello, to appeal. The sense is to drive; a peal is a driving of sound. This word seems to belong to the family of L. balo,and Eng. to bawl,jubilee, bell, &c.]
A loud sound, usually a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts of a multitude,&c.

PEAL

,
Verb.
I.
To utter loud and solemn sounds; as the pealing organ.

PEAL

,
Verb.
T.
To assail with noise.
Nor was his ear less pealed.
1.
To cause to ring or sound; to celebrate.
The warrior's name
Though pealed and chimed on all the tongues of fame.
2.
To stir or agitate. [Not used.]

Definition 2024


peal

peal

See also: peel

English

Noun

peal (plural peals)

  1. A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts, laughter, of a multitude, etc.
    • 1883: Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island
      And, falling on a bench, he laughed until the tears ran down his cheeks, I could not help joining; and we laughed together, peal after peal []
    • Hayward
      a fair peal of artillery
    • Shakespeare
      whether those peals of praise be his or no
    • Byron
      and a deep thunder, peal on peal, afar
  2. A set of bells tuned to each other according to the diatonic scale.
  3. The changes rung on a set of bells.
Translations

Verb

peal (third-person singular simple present peals, present participle pealing, simple past and past participle pealed)

  1. (intransitive) To sound with a peal or peals.
    • 1864: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Christmas Bells
      Then pealed the bells more loud and deep...
    • 1939: Bing Crosby, In My Merry Oldsmobile
      To the church we'll swiftly steal, then our wedding bells will peal,
      You can go as far you like with me, in my merry Oldsmobile.
    • 2006: New York Times
      The bell pealed 20 times, clanging into the dusk as Mr. Bush’s motorcade drove off.
  2. (transitive) To utter or sound loudly.
    • J. Barlow
      The warrior's name, / Though pealed and chimed on all the tongues of fame.
  3. (transitive) To assail with noise.
    • Milton
      Nor was his ear less pealed.
  4. To resound; to echo.
    • Longfellow
      And the whole air pealed / With the cheers of our men.
  5. (Britain, dialect) To pour out.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Halliwell to this entry?)
  6. (obsolete) To appeal.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Spencer to this entry?)
Translations
Derived terms

Etymology 2

Uncertain.

Noun

peal (plural peals)

  1. A small salmon; a grilse; a sewin.

Anagrams


Estonian

Etymology

Adessive case of pea.

Noun

peal

  1. Adessive singular form of pea.

Postposition

peal

  1. on, on top of