a ring or cap, usually of metal, put around the end of a post, cane, or the like, to prevent splitting.
2.
a short metal sleeve for strengthening a tool handle at the end holding the tool.
3.
a bushing or adapter holding the end of a tube and inserted into a hole in a plate in order to make a tight fit, used in boilers, condensers, etc.
4.
a short ring for reinforcing or decreasing the interior diameter of the end of a tube.
5.
a short plumbing fitting, covered at its outer end and caulked or otherwise fixed to a branch from a pipe so that it can be removed to give access to the interior of the pipe.
6.
Angling.
a.
either of two fittings on the end of a section of a sectional fishing rod, one fitting serving as a plug and the other as a socket for fastening the sections together.
b.
one of two or more small rings spaced along the top of a casting rod to hold and guide the line.
[Origin: 1605–15; alter. (appar. conformed to L ferrum iron, -ule) of verrel, verril, late ME virole < MF (c. ML virola) < L viriola, equiv. to viri(a) bracelet + -ola-ole1]
A metal ring or cap placed around a pole or shaft for reinforcement or to prevent splitting.
A bushing used to secure a pipe joint.
[Alteration (influenced by Latin ferrum, iron) of Middle English verrele, from Old French virole, from Latin viriola, little bracelet, diminutive of viriae, bracelets; see wei- in Indo-European roots.]
"metal cap on a rod," 1410, from O.Fr. virelle, from L. viriola "bracelet," dim. of viriæ "bracelets," from a Gaulish word (cf. O.Ir. fiar "bent, crooked"); spelling infl. by L. ferrum "iron."
Fer"rule\ (? or ?; 277), n. [Formerly verrel, F. virole, fr. L. viriola little bracelet, dim. of viriae, pl., bracelets; prob. akin to viere to twist, weave, and E. withe. The spelling with f is due to confusion with L. ferrum iron.]1. A ring or cap of metal put round a cane, tool, handle, or other similar object, to strengthen it, or prevent splitting and wearing. 2. (Steam Boilers) A bushing for expanding the end of a flue to fasten it tightly in the tube plate, or for partly filling up its mouth.
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