▪ I. † wheal, n.1 Obs.
(hwiːl)
Forms: 5–6 whele, (5 whelle, wheel, 6 wheell, wele), 6–7 wheale, 7–8 wheal.
[OE. *hwele (Somner), related to wheal v.1: cf. whelk2.]
A pimple, pustule.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 523/2 Whele, or whelke, soore (K. whelle, S. qwelke, P. wheel), pustula. 1530 Palsgr. 288/1 Whele in the hande, boubette, bubette; uessie. 1545 T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde 120 Sumetymes happeneth to y⊇ chyldren wheles and blysters on theyr tounges and mouth. c 1550 Lloyd Treas. Health U vj, Applye it to the scruphules and weles, it kylleth and brekyth them. 1594 Nashe Unfort. Trav. K 3, I durst not let out a wheale for feare through it I should bleede to death. 1601 Holland Pliny xxxii. vi. II. 437 It killeth the itch, and healeth angrie wheals. 1623 Hart Arraignm. Ur. ii. iii. 46 Small wheales like the small Poxe. 1706 Phil. Trans. XXV. 2317 When she scratched the little Pimples or Wheals that arose on its surface. |
| fig. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 71 The assemblees of y⊇ people swarmyng about the same oratours, he called the pymples or little wheales of glorie. |
b. attrib. wheal-worm, an insect producing wheals, as the itch-mite or harvest-bug.
| 1648 Wilkins Math. Magick i. xvi. 115 What strang discoveries of extream minute bodies (as lice wheal-worms, mites, and the like). 1658 Rowland tr. Moufet's Theat. Ins. 1095 The most vertuous Lady of Penruddock..was for ten years troubled with these wheal-worms. 1668 Charleton Onomast. 56 Syrones in cute, Wheal-worms. [1829 Good Study Med. (ed. 3) V. 663 From the glossy wheals which its [sc. the harvest-bug's] bite produces, it has sometimes been called Wheal-Worm.] |
Hence † whealy a., pimply.
| 1611 Cotgr., Bothoral, whealie, poukie, pushie. |
▪ II. wheal, n.2
(hwiːl)
[Misspelt form of weal n.2 Cf. wheal v.2]
a. The ridge raised on the flesh by a blow: = wale n.1 2, weal n.2
| 1811 L. M. Hawkins C'tess & Gertr. I. 26 Cover her neck over that I may not see the wheals on it. 1825 Gentl. Mag. May 396/2 Each blow raised a wheal upon the place where it fell. 1836 Marryat Midsh. Easy v, Without supper—covered with wheals. 1887 Rider Haggard Jess ix, Across his face was a blue wheal where the whip had fallen. |
b. In modern medical use, a flat, usually circular, hard elevation of the skin, esp. that characteristic of urticaria.
So called because resembling the ‘wheal’ raised on the skin by a blow.
| 1808 Willan Cutan. Dis. I. p. xi, Wheal; a rounded, or longitudinal elevation..with a white summit,..not containing a fluid, nor tending to suppuration. 1818–20 E. Thompson tr. Cullen's Nosologia (ed. 3) 326 It [sc. Urticaria] is distinguished by those elevations of the cuticle, which are usually denominated wheals. 1876 J. S. Bristowe Theory & Pract. Med. 290 A wheal may be regarded as a form of tubercle. |
| Comb. 1876 J. S. Bristowe Theory & Pract. Med. 542 The internal coat of translucent wheal-like thickenings. |
c. gen. A ridge.
| 1855 Newman Callista xv, They [sc. locusts] moved right on like soldiers in their ranks..; they carried a broad furrow or wheal all across the country. 1898 H. G. Wells War of Worlds xii, The water in its track rose in a boiling wheal crested with steam. |
▪ III. wheal, n.3 local.
[Cornish huel.]
A mine.
| 1830 Eng. & For. Mining Gloss. 1857 C. M. Yonge Dynevor Terrace I. iii. 38 The last unfortunate wheal failed when the rope broke. |
▪ IV. † wheal, v.1 Obs.
Forms: 1 hwelian, 5 whelyn, 6 whele, 6–7 wheale, 6– wheal.
[Late OE. hwelian; pa. pple. ᵹehweled, f. *hwele wheal n.1]
1. intr. To suppurate, gather; to develop or become affected with wheals.
| c 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 282 Ᵹif þæt lic heard si, utan leᵹe on þane læcedom þe þæt heard forði hweliᵹe. a 1050 Liber Scintill. xv. (1889) 77 Multi..de bonorum profectibus inuidie liuore tabescunt, Mæniᵹe..be goddra fremum andan mid wunde hweliað. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 523/2 Whelyn, as soorys.., pustulo. 1530 Palsgr. 780/2 Outher you have many wormes, or els you be nat well in your lyver, for your handes wheale a pace. 1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. v. i, Now gin the leprous cores of ulcered sins Wheale to a heade. 1829 Brockett N.C. Gloss. (ed. 2). |
2. trans. To suppurate or bring to a head; to affect with wheals. Only in pa. pple. suppurated, pustuled, pimpled.
| c 897 ælfred Gregory's Past. C. 275 Forðamðe hie [sc. speech]..ðæt ᵹehwelede on ðæm oðrum ᵹeopenað & utforlæt. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 208 Siþþan þæt ᵹeswel biþ ᵹehweled & tobyrst. 1522 Skelton Why not to Court 1182 Domingos nose that was wheled. 1556 Withals Dict. 76 b/2 Matter, as in a wounde when it is whealed, pus. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 651 If they be whealed and filled with matter. 1676 Wiseman Surg. i. xiii. 63, I..washt the Parts whealed and swelled with spir. vini. |
Hence † whealing vbl. n., suppuration.
| c 1440 [see ventosing vbl. n.]. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 523/2 Whelynge, of sorys, pustulacio. |
▪ V. wheal, v.2
(hwiːl)
[Misspelt form of weal v.]
1. trans. To mark with wales or weals.
| 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 135 Batts and Wasps..following their Aggressors till they have Whealed them into Contrition for their unadvised Provocation. 1701 Stanhope Pious Breathings vii. xii. 339 His Body rent and whealed with Scourges. 1813 Sporting Mag. XLI. 24 The horse..would have been whipped and whealed. 1845 S. Judd Margaret i. ii, His eyes were bloodshot, his cheeks whealed and puffed. 1868 Browning Ring & Bk. v. 135, I..now am whealed, one wide wound all of me. |
2. intr. To be marked with weals or ridges.
| 1570 Googe Pop. Kingd. iii. 34 b, The bloud sprang out a pace, and eke their backe did swell and wheale With multitude of stripes. |