▪ I. appal, appall, v.
(əˈpɔːl)
Forms: 4–7 a-pall(e, appalle, 6 a-pawl, 7 appaule, 5–9 appall, 6–9 appal. Inflected appalled, appalling.
[? a. OF. apalir, apallir, later ap(p)alir, to wax pale, be in consternation; languish, waste away; also trans. to make pale, etc. This derivation accounts satisfactorily for the senses, but presents difficulties as to the forms: the natural repr. of apalir would be apale, appale, actually found in 16th c., in the literal sense (see below); the earlier appall, which points, like all, ball, fall, etc. (with which it rhymes from the 14th c.), to an originally short a, may perhaps repr. the Fr. form appall-ir. But appall cannot be separated from the simple pall v., for the relations of which to pale v. and a. see that word. Both on etymological and phonetic grounds, the better spelling is appall, as in the derivatives.]
I. intr.
† 1. To wax pale or dim. Obs. Cf. appale 1.
| 1393 Gower Conf. II. 107 Of thought, which in min herte falleth, Whan it is night min hede appalleth. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems 24 The night doth folowe, appallith all his chere, Whan Western wawis his stremys overclose. |
† 2. fig. To wax faint or feeble in any characteristic quality; to fade, fail, decay. Obs.
| c 1315 Shoreham 91 Ther [in heaven]..none swetnesse appalleth. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas i. i. (1544) 2 b, Their youth by ful great displeasaunce Gan to appall. 1494 Fabyan v. lxxxiii. 61 The fayth of Criste began sore to apalle. 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. vi. 26 Therewith her wrathfull courage gan appall. |
† 3. To lose flavour, savour, or briskness; to become flat or stale, as fermented liquor when left exposed to the air. Obs. Cf. pall v.
| 1528 More Heresyes iii. Wks. 1557, 226/1 If the salt once appalle, the woorde muste nedes waxe vnsauery. 1530 Palsgr. 433/1, I appalle, as drinke dothe or wyne, whan it leseth his colour, or ale whan it hath stande longe. Je appalys. This wyne is appaled all redy. 1568 North Diall Princes (ed. 2, 1619) 622/2 He found the wine wel watered before that it had stood a pawling long. |
† 4. To lose heart or resolution; become dismayed. Obs.
| c 1450 Vox Populi 206 in Hazl. E.P.P. III. 275 Yf theise men appall, And lacke when you do call. |
II. trans.
† 5. To make pale, to cause to lose or change colour. Obs. rare. Cf. appale 4.
| c 1386 Chaucer Sqr.'s T. 357 Hir liste nat apalled [v.r. appalled, appallid] for to be Ne on the morwe vnfeestlich for to se. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abuses i. (1877) 95 [Adultery] appalleth the countenance, it dulleth the spirits. |
† 6. fig. To cause to fade or cease to flourish; to dim, weaken, enfeeble, impair. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 2195 Whan his name apalled [v.r. appelled, -alled, apeyred] is for age. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Paraphr. Luke vi. 22 To appalle or derken your glorie. 1574 tr. Marlorat's Apocalips 26 Restored mee my strength whiche was appalled with feare. 1586 J. Hooker Girald. Hist. Irel. in Holinsh. II. 134/2 How often he preuailed against the enimie, and appalled their courages. 1616 [See appalled.] |
† 7. To quell (anger, pride, etc.). Obs. rare.
| 1470 Harding Chron. xxxvi, Wherfore the kyng his yre myght not apall. 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas i. vii. (1641) 62/1 God beats his Dears, from birth to buriall, To make them know him, and their pride appall. |
8. To cause the heart of (anyone) to sink; to dismay, shock, discomfit, terrify.
| 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 1557, 646/2 Then wyll thys poynt as sore appall Tindal in thys debate. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turkes 813 To appaule and discourage the minds..of the mercinarie souldiors. 1605 Shakes. Macb. iii. iv. 59 A man..that dare looke on that Which might appall the Diuell. 1768 Beattie Minstrel i. ii, Him, who ne'er listened to the voice of praise, The silence of neglect can ne'er appal. 1855 Milman Lat. Chr. (1864) V. ix. viii. 403 The calmness of the heretics in the fire amazed, almost appalled, their judges. |
b. absol.
| a 1631 Drayton Tri. David in Farr S.P. (1848) 116 His brazen armour gaue a iarring sound..which did like death apall. 1827 Keble Chr. Y. Trin. S., Thoughts that awe but not appal. |
† c. refl. Obs.
| 1447 O. Bokenham Lyvys of Seyntys 165 But thus [Christ] seyd, Marye the not appalle. |
▪ II. † aˈppal, appall, n. Obs. rare.
[f. prec. vb.]
The act of appalling; sudden shock to courage or self-possession; dismay.
| 1596 Chapman Iliad xi. 32 Had engraven, full of extreme appall, An ugly Gorgon. 1616 ― Batrachom. (1858) 17 Cold appal The wretches put in rout past all returne. |