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bale

 [beyl]   Example Sentences Origin

bale

1   [beyl] noun, verb, baled, bal·ing.
noun
1.
a large bundle or package prepared for shipping, storage, or sale, especially 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.

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to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about.
to bark; yelp.
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Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Anglo-Latin bala, Anglo-French bale pack, bale < Frankish *balla; compare Old High German balo, akin to balla ball1

Related forms
bale·less, adjective
bal·er, noun
Example Sentences
  • Mechanical reapers became even more efficient when adapted to bale the stalks into sheaves, too.
  • If their theory is correct, they're no longer searching for a needle in a haystack-merely a needle in a bale of hay.
  • Better hope they start building a whole lot of straw bale houses.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged

bale

2   [beyl]
noun Archaic.
1.
evil; harm; misfortune.
2.
woe; misery; sorrow.
Origin:
before 1000; Middle English; Old English bealu, balu; cognate with Old Norse bǫl, Old Saxon balu, Old High German balo, Gothic balw-; akin to Russian bolʾ pain, OCS bolŭ ill

bale

3   [beyl]
noun
bail2.

bale

4   [beyl]
verb (used with object), verb (used without object), baled, bal·ing.
bail3 (defs. 1–3).

Bâle

   [bahl]
noun
French name of Basel.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To bale
Collins
World English Dictionary
bail or bale2 (beɪl)
 
—vb
(often foll by out) to remove (water) from (a boat)
 
[C13: from Old French baille bucket, from Latin bāiulus carrier]
 
bale or bale2
 
—vb
 
[C13: from Old French baille bucket, from Latin bāiulus carrier]
 
'bailer or bale2
 
—n
 
'baler or bale2
 
—n

bail or bale4 (beɪl)
 
—n
1.  the semicircular handle of a kettle, bucket, etc
2.  a semicircular support for a canopy
3.  a movable bar on a typewriter that holds the paper against the platen
 
[C15: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse beygja to bend]
 
bale or bale4
 
—n
 
[C15: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse beygja to bend]

bale1 (beɪl)
 
—n
1.  a large bundle, esp of a raw or partially processed material, bound by ropes, wires, etc, for storage or transportation: bale of hay
2.  a large package or carton of goods
3.  (US) 500 pounds of cotton
4.  a group of turtles
5.  (Austral), (NZ) See wool bale
 
—vb
6.  to make (hay, etc) into a bale or bales
7.  to put (goods) into packages or cartons
8.  (Austral), (NZ) to pack and compress (wool) into wool bales
 
[C14: probably from Old French bale, from Old High German ballaball1]

bale2 (beɪl)
 
—n
1.  evil; injury
2.  woe; suffering; pain
 
[Old English bealu; related to Old Norse böl evil, Gothic balwa, Old High German balo]

bale3 (beɪl)
 
—vb
a variant spelling of bail

bale4 (beɪl)
 
—n
a variant spelling of bail

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

bale
"large bundle or package," early 14c., from O.Fr. bale "rolled-up bundle," from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. balla "ball"), from P.Gmc. *ball-, from PIE *bhel- (2) "to blow, swell" (see bole).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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