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Bale - 15 dictionary results

bale

1  [beyl] noun, verb, baled, bal⋅ing.
Use Bale in a Sentence
–noun
1. a large bundle or package prepared for shipping, storage, or sale, esp. one tightly compressed and secured by wires, hoops, cords, or the like, and sometimes having a wrapping or covering: a bale of cotton; a bale of hay.
2. a group of turtles.
–verb (used with object)
3. to make or form into bales: to bale wastepaper for disposal.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME < AL bala, AF bale pack, bale < Frankish *balla; cf. OHG balo, akin to balla ball 1

Related forms:
baleless, adjective
baler, noun

bale

2  [beyl]
–noun Archaic.
1. evil; harm; misfortune.
2. woe; misery; sorrow.
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME; OE bealu, balu; c. ON bǫl, OS balu, OHG balo, Goth balw-; akin to Russ bolʾ pain, OCS bolŭ ill

bale

3  [beyl]
–noun
bail 2 .

bale

4  [beyl]
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object), baled, bal⋅ing.
bail 3 (defs. 1–3).

Bâle

  [bahl]
–noun
French name of Basel.

bail

2  [beyl]
–noun
1. the semicircular handle of a kettle or pail.
2. a hooplike support, as for the canvas cover on a Conestoga wagon.
3. a metal band or bar equipped with rollers for holding a sheet or sheets of paper against the platen of a printing press, typewriter, etc.
Also, bale.

Origin:
1400–50; late ME beyl, perh. < ON; cf. ON beyglast to become bent, equiv. to baug(r) ring (see bee 2 ) + *-il n. suffix + -ast middle inf. suffix

bail

3  [beyl]
–verb (used with object)
1. to dip (water) out of a boat, as with a bucket.
2. to clear of water by dipping (usually fol. by out): to bail out a boat.
–verb (used without object)
3. to bail water.
–noun
4. Also, bailer. a bucket, dipper, or other container used for bailing.
—Verb phrase
5. bail out,
a. to make a parachute jump from an airplane.
b. to relieve or assist (a person, company, etc.) in an emergency situation, esp. a financial crisis: The corporation bailed out its failing subsidiary through a series of refinancing operations.
c. to give up on or abandon something, as to evade a responsibility: His partner bailed out before the business failed.
Also, bale (for defs. 1–3).

Origin:
1425–75; late ME bayle < MF baille a bucket < VL *bāi(u)la; akin to L bāiulus carrier. See bail 1

Ba⋅sel

  [bah-zuhl]
–noun
1. a city in and the capital of Basel-Stadt, in NW Switzerland, on the Rhine River. 192,800.
2. a canton in N Switzerland, divided into two independent areas.
Also, Basle.
French, Bâle.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Bale
bale 1   (bāl)   
n.  A large package of raw or finished material tightly bound with twine or wire and often wrapped: a bale of hay.
tr.v.   baled, bal·ing, bales
To wrap in a bale or in bales: a machine that bales cotton.

[Middle English, from Old French; see bhel-2 in Indo-European roots.]
bal'er n.
bale 2   (bāl)   
n.  
  1. Evil: "Tidings of bale she brought" (William Cullen Bryant).
  2. Mental suffering; anguish: "Relieve my spirit from the bale that bows it down" (Benjamin Disraeli).

[Middle English, from Old English bealu.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Bale

Bale\, n. [OE. bale, OF. bale, F. balle, LL. bala, fr. OHG. balla, palla, pallo, G. ball, balle, ballen, ball round pack; cf. D. baal. Cf. Ball a round body.] A bundle or package of goods in a cloth cover, and corded for storage or transportation; also, a bundle of straw ? hay, etc., put up compactly for transportation.

Bale of dice, a pair of dice. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.

Bale

Bale\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Baled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Baling.] To make up in a bale. --Goldsmith.

Bale

Bale\, v. t. See Bail, v. t., to lade.

Bale

Bale\ (b[=a]l), n. [AS. bealo, bealu, balu; akin to OS. balu, OHG. balo, Icel. b["o]l, Goth. balweins.]

1. Misery; calamity; misfortune; sorrow.

Let now your bliss be turned into bale. --Spenser.

2. Evil; an evil, pernicious influence; something causing great injury. [Now chiefly poetic]
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : Bale
Spanish: fardo,
German: der Ballen,
Japanese: 梱
More Translations »

bale 
"large bundle or package," c.1325, from O.Fr. bale "rolled-up bundle," from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. balla "ball"), from P.Gmc. *ball-, from PIE *bhel- "to blow, swell" (see bole).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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