From Middle English bale (“evil”), from Old English bealu, from Proto-West Germanic *balu, from Proto-Germanic *balwą.
Cognate with Low German bal- (“bad, ill”), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 (balweins, “torture”), Old High German balo (“destruction”), Old Norse bǫl (“disaster”).
Meanings
(uncountable) Evil, especially considered as an active force for destruction or death.
(uncountable) Suffering, woe, torment.
That other ſwayne, like aſhes deadly pale,
Lay in the lap of death, rewing his wretched bale. 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto VII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], part II (books IV–VI), London: […] [Richard Field] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, page 441:
Rome, and her Rats, are at the point of battell,
The one ſide muſt haue baile. c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 2, column 2:
Ffor if you wold comfort me with a kisse,
Then were I brought ffrom bale to blisse,
Noe longer here wold I lye. 1885, “Sir Cawline”, in Francis James Child, editor, The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 2:
From Middle English bale (“pyre, funeral pyre”), from Old English bǣl (“pyre, funeral pyre”), from Proto-Germanic *bēlą (“pyre”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shine; gleam; sparkle”). Cognate with Old Norse bál (which may have been the direct source for the English word).
Meanings
(obsolete) A large fire, a conflagration or bonfire.
From Middle English bale (“bale”), from Old French bale and Medieval Latin bala, of Germanic origin. Doublet of ball.
Meanings
A rounded bundle or package of goods in a cloth cover, and corded for storage or transportation.
So having made up my mind, I packed up in bales a quantity of precious stuffs suited for sea-trade and repaired with them from Baghdad-city to Bassorah-town, where I found ship ready for sea, and in her a company of considerable merchants. 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 563:
A bundle of compressed fibers (especially hay, straw, cotton, or wool), compacted for shipping and handling and bound by twine or wire.
What I claim therein as new, and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is the within described apparatus for forming a bale of cotton under pressure on a spindle or revolving rod,... 1847, editorial staff, “Packing and Pressing Cotton”, in Scientific American, series 1, Volume 3, Issue 9, page 68:
A measurement of hay equal to 10 flakes. Approximately 70-90 lbs (32-41 kg).
A measurement of paper equal to 10 reams.
A block of compressed cannabis.
(collective) A group of turtles.
A captivating video of a 'bale' of turtles seemingly engaged in a meeting has taken the internet by storm 2025 August 21, ToI Trending Desk, “Video of a group of turtle in an unusual pattern goes viral”, in Times of India, archived from the original on 12 Feb 2026:
The San Diego Freeway traffic is as slow as a bale of turtles. 2011, Marla Martenson, Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker, Bettie Youngs Books:
This bale of turtles is the last of the original group to be released. 2021 June 21, Allen Brewer, “Turtle update: Last seven rescued sea turtles will be released on Thursday”, in WLOX, archived from the original on 26 Jul 2026:
A bale of turtles gathers on the waters edge at the newly opened Carpenter Creek Headwaters Park on Olive Road in Escambia County in March 20, 2026. 2026 March 28, Gregg Pachkowski, “See turtles galore at newly opened Carpenter Creek Headwaters Park”, in Pensacola News Journal, archived from the original on 26 Jul 2026:
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
bales
Number=Plur
lexicographic
Coordinates
bundle (measurement of paper) · ream (measurement of paper) · quire (measurement of paper)
tr balya (rounded bundle of goods) · nl baal (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · it balla (rounded bundle of goods) · gl paca (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · wa botea (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · wa balot (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · ru ки́па (rounded bundle of goods) · be цюк (rounded bundle of goods) · sk bal (rounded bundle of goods) · bg бала (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · gl fardo (rounded bundle of goods) · fi pakka (measurement of paper) · ast paca (rounded bundle of goods) · pt fardo (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · gl bala (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · gl paca (rounded bundle of goods) · cy swp (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · id bal (rounded bundle of goods) · ota بالیه (rounded bundle of goods) · cmn 包 (rounded bundle of goods) · fr botte (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · ru тюк (rounded bundle of goods) · fr ballot (rounded bundle of goods) · cmn 捆包 (rounded bundle of goods) · fr botte (measurement of hay) · pl bela (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · pl balot (rounded bundle of goods) · fi paali (rounded bundle of goods) · ota بالیه (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · mi pēre (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · ota دنك (rounded bundle of goods) · cmn 捆 (rounded bundle of goods) · ca fardell (rounded bundle of goods) · uk тюк (rounded bundle of goods) · pt fardo (rounded bundle of goods) · fa بلغنده (rounded bundle of goods) · bg денк (rounded bundle of goods) · fi paali (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · cy bwrn (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · ca bala (measurement of paper) · fa بغچه (rounded bundle of goods) · bg бала (rounded bundle of goods) · no høyballe (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · cy bwrn (rounded bundle of goods) · es bala (rounded bundle of goods) · yi באַלן (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · sv bal (rounded bundle of goods) · hu bála (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · es bala (measurement of paper) · mi paere (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · pl bela (measurement of paper) · hu bála (measurement of hay) · hu bála (measurement of paper) · fi paali (measurement of hay) · it balla (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · de Ballen (rounded bundle of goods) · el βασταγή (rounded bundle of goods) · hu bála (rounded bundle of goods) · ja 俵 (rounded bundle of goods) · gl bala (rounded bundle of goods) · wa rowe di strin (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · sv bal (bundle of compressed wool or hay) · el δεμάτι (bundle of compressed wool or hay)
ca enfardar (to wrap into a bale) · pt enfardar (to wrap into a bale) · pl belować (to wrap into a bale) · bg балирам (to wrap into a bale) · fi paalata (to wrap into a bale) · hu báláz (to wrap into a bale) · de paketieren (to wrap into a bale) · fi paalittaa (to wrap into a bale) · pl balotować (to wrap into a bale) · mi pēre (to wrap into a bale) · es embalar (to wrap into a bale) · ca enfardellar (to wrap into a bale) · tr paketlemek (to wrap into a bale)