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Definition of peal - 8 dictionary results

peal

  [peel]
Use peal in a Sentence
–noun
1. a loud, prolonged ringing of bells.
2. a set of bells tuned to one another.
3. a series of changes rung on a set of bells.
4. any loud, sustained sound or series of sounds, as of cannon, thunder, applause, or laughter.
–verb (used with object)
5. to sound loudly and sonorously: to peal the bells of a tower.
6. Obsolete. to assail with loud sounds.
–verb (used without object)
7. to sound forth in a peal; resound.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME pele, akin to peal to beat, strike (now dial.)

Synonyms:
4. reverberation, resounding, clangor.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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peal   (pēl)   
n.  
  1. A ringing of a set of bells, especially a change or set of changes rung on bells.
  2. A set of bells tuned to each other; a chime.
  3. A loud burst of noise: peals of laughter.
v.   pealed, peal·ing, peals

v.   intr.
To sound in a peal; ring.
v.   tr.
To sound loudly and sonorously.

[Middle English pele, a bell peal, especially as a summons to church, short for apel, appeal; see appeal.]
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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Peal

Peal\, n. [Etymol. uncertain.] (Zo["o]l.) A small salmon; a grilse; a sewin. [Prov. Eng.]

Peal

Peal\, v. i. To appeal. [Obs.] --Spencer.

Peal

Peal\, n. [An abbrev. of F. appel a call, appeal, ruffle of a drum, fr. appeller to call, L. appellare. See Appeal.]

1. A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts, of a multitude, etc. "A fair peal of artillery." --Hayward.

Whether those peals of praise be his or no. --Shak.

And a deep thunder, peal on peal, afar. --Byron.

2. A set of bells tuned to each other according to the diatonic scale; also, the changes rung on a set of bells.

To ring a peal. See under Ring.

Peal

Peal\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pealed; p. pr. & vb. n. Pealing.]

1. To utter or give out loud sounds.

There let the pealing organ blow. --Milton.

2. To resound; to echo.

And the whole air pealed With the cheers of our men. --Longfellow.

Peal

Peal\, v. t. 1. To utter or give forth loudly; to cause to give out loud sounds; to noise abroad.

The warrior's name, Though pealed and chimed on all the tongues of fame. --J. Barlow.

2. To assail with noise or loud sounds.

Nor was his ear less pealed. --Milton.

3. To pour out. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : peal
Spanish: repique, toque de campanas,
German: das Läuten,
Japanese: 鐘のひびき
More Translations »

peal  (n.)
1377, generally considered a shortened form of appeal, with the notion of a bell that "summons" people to church. This is not entirely convincing, but no better theory has been put forth. Extended sense of "loud ringing of bells" is first recorded 1511. The verb is 1632, from the noun.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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