▪ I. peal, n.1
(piːl)
Forms: 4–6 pele, (5 peell, peyll, 5–6 peel(e, 6 peeyle, pelle), 6–7 peale, (7 pale), 6– peal.
[ME. pele; in sense 1, aphetic f. apele, appeal; in branch II, supposed to be the same word, but the evidence is not irrefragable; no other origin, however, has suggested itself.]
I. † 1. = appeal n. Obs.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xvii. 302 For þere þat partye pursueth, þe pele [C. xx. 284 apeel, v.r. peel] is so huge, Þat þe kynge may do no mercy til bothe men acorde. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xxiii. 78 (Harl. MS.) Þou shalt come afore my lord, and avow thi pele. 1471 Paston Lett. III. 19 Whech woman seyd to me that che sewyd never the pele. |
II. † 2. (?) A call or summons (e.g. to prayers, to church) made by ringing a bell; a stroke on a bell, or the ringing of a bell, as a call or summons. Obs.
| a 1380 St. Augustine 1642 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1878) 89 To euensong Men rongen þe þreo peles long. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 391/1 Pele of bellys ryngynge (or a-pele of belle ryngynge), classicum. 1444 Rolls of Parlt. V. 125/1 That the Baillifs..make ryng the comune belle iii pele, to gedre the Comunes togedre. 1561 Bp. Parkhurst Injunctions, This shal be doon immediatlye after the last peale to euening praier. 1675 Ken Man. Scholars Winch. Coll. 4 Go into the Chappel between first and second Peal in the morning, to say your Morning Prayer. |
3. The loud ringing of a bell, or of a set of bells; spec. a series of changes rung on a set of bells: see bob n.5, change n. 8 b, grandsire 6.
| 1511 Fabyan Will in Chron. Pref. 8 Ringyng at the said obite, soo that oon pele over nyght be rong w{supt} all the bellys, and oon pele upon the mornyng. 1512 in Southwell Visit. (Camden) 115 At my buriall a peeyle with all the bells. 1530 Palsgr. 253/1 Peele of belles, son de cloches. 1572–3 in Swayne Sarum Churchw. Acc. (1896) 287 Ringers y{supt} Ringed iij pelle when Mr. Hooper was buried. 1671 Tintinnalogia 102 This Peal of Grandsire..is the absolute foundation from whence the excellent Peal of Grandsire bob..had its beginning and method. 1671–1883 [see grandsire 6]. 1787 Europ. Mag. XII. 434 The bells of the churches rung their dead peals during the day. 1812 J. Wilson Isle of Palms iv. 444 The bells ring quick a joyous peal. 1852 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xxxvii, George had the satisfaction, as the bell rang out its farewell peal, to see Marks walk..to the shore. 1879 in Grove Dict. Mus. I. 334/2, 12 [bells], the largest number ever rung in peal. |
| transf. and fig. a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV 193 To haue her fauor and folowe her desire..rather then to haue a lowryng countenaunce, and a ringing peale, when he should go to his rest and quietnes. 1605 Shakes. Macb. iii. ii. 43 Ere..The shard-borne Beetle, with his drowsie hums, Hath rung Nights yawning Peale. 1636 Massinger Gt. Dk. Flor. iii. i, My pockets ring A golden peal. 176. Wesley Husb. & Wives vii. 2 Wks. 1811 IX. 86 The husband may..ring his wife a peal concerning her duty. |
4. A set of bells tuned to one another; a ring of bells.
| 1789 G. White Selborne 321 The day of the arrival of this tuneable peal was observed as an high festival by the village. 1860 Froude Hist. Eng. xxx. VI. 33 First began St. Paul's,..then, one by one, every peal which had been spared caught up the sound. 1872 Ellacombe Ch. Bells Devon, etc. i. 208 Sometimes a peal of bells is cast in harmony, in which case it is called a maiden peal, and no tuning is required. |
| transf. 1894 Fenn In Alpine Valley III. 61 A tiny campanula whose lavender bells clustered in a peal about the stem. |
† 5. A discharge of guns or cannon so as to produce a loud sound; esp. as an expression of joy, a salute, etc. Obs. exc. Hist.
| c 1515 Cocke Lorell's B. 13 A pele of gonnes gan they rynge. 1577 in Hakluyt's Voy. (1589) 157 The Castle discharged a peale of ordinaunce. 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1341/1 The duke of Brabant..caused a peale of a twentie or thirtie thousand harquebusses to be shot off. a 1649 Drummond of Hawthornden Hist. Jas. II, Wks. (1711) 36 The king..caused discharge a pale of ordnance together. 1833 H. Martineau Three Ages ii. 68 The best part of this day's entertainments..was the peals of ordnance both from the vessels and the shore. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xiii. III. 347 The peal of a musket..was the signal. |
6. A loud outburst or volley of sound.
| 1535 Coverdale Jer. iv. 19, I haue herde the crienge of the trompettes, and peales of warre. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. ii. 146 Still gazing in a doubt Whether those peales of praise be his or no. a 1649 Drummond of Hawthornden Urania xii. (1656) 137 At whose command clouds peales of Thunder sound. 1670 Dryden 2nd Pt. Conq. Grenada v. ii, Like the hoarse peals of vultures,..When over fighting fields they beat their wings. 1671 Milton Samson 233, I my self,..vanquisht with a peal of words..Gave up my fort of silence to a Woman. 1697 Dryden Alexander's F. 126 Break his bands of sleep asunder, And rouse him, like a rattling peal of thunder. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 63 ¶7 Which very often produced great Peals of Laughter. 1848 Gallenga Italy, Past & Pr. I. 121 A peal of the organ is antiphonal to a flourish of trumpets. |
7. attrib. and Comb., as peal-book, peal-ringer, peal-ringing.
| 1872 Ellacombe Ch. Bells Devon, etc. iii. 236 The peal book contains a record of peals. |
▪ II. peal, peel, n.2
(piːl)
Forms: 6 pele, peall, Sc. peill, 6–8 peale, 7– peal, 8– peel.
[In 1533 salmon pele: origin unascertained.]
A name given to, a. A grilse or young salmon (now esp. one under two pounds in weight); b. A smaller species of salmon, Salmo cambricus (or S. trutta). (Cf. Günther Introd. Study of Fishes (1880) 644 Note 2.)
(α) salmon peal.
| 1533–4 Act 25 Hen. VIII, c. 7 The yonge frye,..called lakspynkes smowtis or salmon pele. 1661 Lovell Hist. Anim. & Min. 220 The Salmon peales or Sea Trouts, are a more light, wholesome, and well tasted meat. 1741 Compl. Fam.-Piece ii. ii. 341 Salmon Peel are taken by dropping your Line, baited with a Brandling, gradually into the Hole. 1758 Descr. Thames 171 Salmon Peale..seems to be a Species of the Salmon. |
(β) peal, peel.
| 1577 Reg. Privy Council Scot. II. 657 Ten thowsand peill fischeis, killing and ling. 1587 Holinshed Chron. III. 1009 Plentifull of salmon, trout, peale, dace, pike, and other like freshwater fishes. 1623 R. Carpenter Conscionable Christian 89 The line sometimes breaketh too, when a Peale or great fish is to be drawne vp. 1758 Jago in Borlase Nat. Hist. Cornwall 271 The Black-fish..head and nose like a peal or trout. 1851 Newland Erne 33 note, Graul, called in the north a grilse and on the Shannon a peel. 1861 Act 24 & 25 Vict. c. 109 §4 Migratory fish of the genus salmon,..known by the names..forktail, mort, peal, herring peal, may peal, pugg peal, harvest cock. |
| Comb. 1903 Longm. Mag. May 41 When a man goes peel-fishing all day. |
▪ III. peal, v.1 Obs. exc. dial.
Forms: (1 p{iacu}lian (?)); 5 pele, pa. tense pelyde, -id, 6 peil, 7–8 peal, 9 dial. peyl, peighl.
[Origin uncertain.
Cotgr. uses peale to render F. piler to pound or bruise as in a mortar:—L. pīlāre, already in OE. as p{iacu}lian; but peal could not answer phonetically to piler, esp. as it seems to be the same word that is often written in mod. dial. pail or pale (peɪl). The inclusion here of sense 1 is therefore provisional. (See also pell v., pail v.2, pale v.5)]
† 1. trans. To pound or bruise as in a mortar.
| [c 1000 ælfric Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker 114/25 Pilurus, uel pistor, se þe pilaþ, uel tribulaþ.] 1611 Cotgr., Pilé, pealed, beaten, bruised, crushed, pounded, stamped. Ibid., Pilement, a pealing, pounding, stamping, braying, beating; a crushing, or bruising. Ibid., Piler, to peale, pound, stampe, to bray, beat, or breake, in a morter. |
2. To strike or beat with repeated blows, to batter, to pelt.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 3042 Paysede and pelid downe playsterede walles. 1583 T. Stocker Civ. Warres Low C. iii. 86 Fiftie or three score of them lustily charged then betweene the gates, and valyantly pealed them with harquebuze shot. 1592 W. Wyrley Armorie, Ld. Chandos 54 Some one did weild A mightie stone, that head a peeces peild Of Lord Mucedent. 1686 Goad Celest. Bodies ii. i. 144 Is it certain then that our Aspect is able to..Peal us with a Showr? 1735 Somerville Chase iv. 150 [A ram] Shall..with his curl'd hard Front incessant peal The panting Wretch. 1828 Craven Gloss. (ed. 2), Peyl, to beat, to strike. [Cf. 1854 Bamford Dial. (Lancash.) (E.D.D. s.v. Pail), Awv pailt him weel.] |
b. intr. To shower blows, to hammer on; fig. to ‘pitch into’.
| c 1430 Chev. Assigne 304 Þene plukke out þy swerde, & pele on hym faste. 1874 Waugh Chim. Corner (1879) 215 [Lancash.] They thunge't an' peel at one another full bat. 1884 Cudsworth Dial. Sk. 125 (E.D.D.) Just let me finish this bird cage, an I'll peyl intut an reight an' all! 1895 Clegg Sketches 429 Aw've had to peighl away like a nowman. |
† 3. intr. Of blows: To come or fall in a shower.
| c 1400 Rowland & O. 502 So thikke þaire dynttis to-gedir pelyde, Thaire armours hewenn laye in þe felde. |
Hence † peal used advb. in peale pelted; ˈpealing vbl. n. and ppl. a.1, (a) see sense 1; (b) battering, beating, pelting.
| 1582 Stanyhurst æneis ii. (Arb.) 56 Now be we peale pelted from top of barbican hautye. Ibid. ii. 59 Pyrrhus..Downe beats with pealing thee doors. 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Country Farme 379 Apples must be gathered..in faire weather,..and that by hand without any pole or pealing downe. 1740 Somerville Hobbinol ii. 155 On her pale Cheeks Ghastly he gaz'd, nor felt the pealing Storm. |
▪ IV. peal, v.2 Now dial.
(piːl)
Also 5 pele.
[Aphetic f. apele, appeal v.: cf. peal n.1 1.]
trans. and intr. = appeal v. (in various senses).
| c 1400 Langl.'s P. Pl. C. iii. 186 On poure prouysors & on a-peles in [v.r. þat peleth to] þe arches. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 391/1 Pelyn or apelyn, appello. c 1450 Bk. Curtasye 594 in Babees Bk. 318 To A baron of chekker þay mun hit pele. 1648 Chas. I's Messages for Peace 120 What reason these men had thus to 'peale him. 1655 W. Gurnall Chr. in Arm. verse 11. i. i. 53 They peale one of another, shifting the sin rather than suing for mercy. 1894 Northumbld. Gloss., Peal, to appeal, a shortened form. Ibid., Peel off, to appeal off..A happy man was he who could peel off from the militia. |
▪ V. peal, v.3
(piːl)
[f. peal n.1]
1. intr. To sound forth in a peal; to resound.
| 1632 Milton Penseroso 161 There let the pealing Organ blow, To the full voic'd Quire below. 1719 Tickell On Death Addison 16 The pealing organ, and the pausing choir. 1728 Pope Dunc. ii. 258 There, Webster! peal'd thy voice, and, Whitfield! thine. 1841 H. Ainsworth Old St. Paul's II. 102 A loud clap of thunder pealed overhead. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. x. II. 602 Behind it rode the body guards with cymbals clashing and trumpets pealing. |
† 2. trans. To storm, din, or assail (the ears, or a person) with (loud noise, clamour, etc.). Obs.
Perh. with admixture of sense of peal v.1 to batter.
| 1641 Milton Ch. Govt. Concl. 62 They..never lin pealing our eares that unlesse we fat them like boores,..all learning and religion will goe underfoot. 1667 ― P.L. ii. 920. 1717 Fenton Homer in Milton's Style, Odyss. xi. Poems 114 To Woman's Faith Unbosom nought momentous; tho' she peal Your Ear..Unlock not all your Secrets. 1719 J. T. Phillips tr. Thirty-four Confer. 158 Priests and People pealed me with Maledictions and Abusive Words. |
3. To give forth in a peal or peals; to utter loudly and sonorously.
| 1714 Garth Dispens. v. (ed. 7) 64 Pestles peal a martial Symphony. 1745 T. Warton Pleas. Mel. 198 The many-sounding organ peals on high The clear slow-dittied chaunt, or varied hymn. 1887 Bowen Virg. æneid i. 90 Loud thunder is pealed from the skies. |
Hence ˈpealing ppl. a.2
| 1632, 1719 [see sense 1]. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xxix, The pealing thunder rolled onward. 1824 W. Irving T. Trav. I. 115 The pealing notes swelled through the lofty aisles. |
Add: 4. To cause (bells, etc.) to sound loudly; to ring in peals. rare.
| 1828 in Webster s.v., Peal,..to cause to ring or sound. 1937 Auden Song for New Year in Listener 17 Feb. 305 Day long and night long the bells I shall peal. |
▪ VI. peal, v.4 Obs. exc. dial.
(piːl)
[Origin uncertain. ? Related to peel n.2]
(See quots.)
| 1674 Ray N.C. Words, Peale the pot; cool the pot. 1703 Thoresby Let. to Ray (E.D.S.), ‘Peel the pot’, cool it with the ladle, taking out and pouring in again. 1755 Johnson, Peal,..2. To stir with some agitation: as, to peal the pot, is when it boils to stir the liquor therein with a ladle. 1890 Gloucestersh. Gloss., Peal, to pour out a liquid. |
▪ VII. peal
obs. form of pall, peel.