Dictionary

peal en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /piːl/

Etymology

From Middle English pele, peil, probably an apheretic variant of Middle English apel, appel, from Old French apel (“an appeal; pealing of bells”). Compare appeal.

Meanings

1. A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts, laughter, of a multitude, etc.
   • And she has half a mind to weep again now, for Jack Brotherhood, as the front doorbell sounds through the house like a bugle call, three short peals as ever. 1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy:
   • and the deep thunder, peal on peal, afar 1816, Lord Byron, “Canto III”, in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. Canto the Third, London: […] [F]or John Murray, […], →OCLC, stanza XXV:
   • And, falling on a bench, he laughed until the tears ran down his cheeks, I could not help joining; and we laughed together, peal after peal[…] 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:
   • Whether thoſe peales of praiſe be his or no. c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 174, column 2:
   • Mrs. Green burst out into one of those peals so peculiarly British. 1828, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter XVI, in Pelham; or, The Adventures of a Gentleman. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 112:
   • a fair peal of artillery a. 1628 (date written), John Hayward, The Life, and Raigne of King Edward the Sixt, London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press, and J. Lichfield at Oxford?] for Iohn Partridge, […], published 1630, →OCLC:
2. (collective) A set of bells tuned to each other according to the diatonic scale.
   • Ingulphus, the chronicler of Croyland Abbey, mentions that a peal of seven bells was put up there in the tenth century, and that there was not such a harmonious peal in the whole of England; which implies that rings of bells were then common. 1908, H. B. Walters, chapter 1, in Church Bells:
3. The changes rung on a set of bells; in the strict sense a full peal of at least 5040 changes.

Forms

Deriveds

peal of bells · dumb peal · thunderpeal

Translations (33)

es campaneo (the sound of ringing bells) · fi jyrähdys (loud sound) · es estruendo (loud sound) · eo sonorado (loud sound) · be звон (loud sound) · gl picada (the sound of ringing bells) · fi jyrinä (loud sound) · fi kumu (loud sound) · ru гро́хот (loud sound) · ru звон (loud sound) · tl kalembang (the sound of ringing bells) · cs vyzvánění (the sound of ringing bells) · mi tangi pōhutu (loud sound) · fi jylinä (loud sound) · de Dröhnen (loud sound) · ru звон (the sound of ringing bells) · bg тътен (loud sound) · fi jyly (loud sound) · cs salva (loud sound) · fr éclat (loud sound) · cs zvonění (the sound of ringing bells) · ja 雷鳴 (loud sound) · bg камбанен звън (the sound of ringing bells) · fi kumina (loud sound) · es repiqueteo (the sound of ringing bells) · gl badalada (the sound of ringing bells) · eo sonorilaro (set of bells) · tl dupikal (the sound of ringing bells) · gsw Glüüt (loud sound) · es tañido (the sound of ringing bells) · cs výbuch (loud sound) · es repique (the sound of ringing bells) · es campanada (the sound of ringing bells)

peal en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /piːl/

Etymology

From Middle English pele, peil, probably an apheretic variant of Middle English apel, appel, from Old French apel (“an appeal; pealing of bells”). Compare appeal.

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To sound with a peal or peals.
   • Then pealed the bells more loud and deep... 1864, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Christmas Bells:
   • To the church we'll swiftly steal, then our wedding bells will peal, / You can go as far you like with me, in my merry Oldsmobile 1939 [1905], “In My Merry Oldsmobile”, Vincent P. Bryan (lyrics), Gus Edwards (music), performed by Bing Crosby:
   • The bell pealed 20 times, clanging into the dusk as Mr. Bush’s motorcade drove off. 2006 September 11, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, “Bush Mourns 9/11 at Ground Zero as N.Y. Remembers”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
2. (transitive) To utter or sound loudly.
   • The warrior's name, / Though pealed and chimed on all the tongues of fame. 1807, Joel Barlow, The Columbiad:
3. (transitive) To assail with noise.
   • Nor was his ear less pealed. 1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
4. (intransitive) To resound; to echo.
   • And the whole air pealed / With the cheers of our men. 1863, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Cumberland:
5. (obsolete) To appeal.
   • To A baron of chekker þay mun hit pele'. c. 1450, The Boke of Curtasye:

Forms

Deriveds

unpealed · peal out · outpeal

Translations (14)

fi kumista (to sound with a peal) · bg звъня (to sound with a peal) · cs zvonit (to sound with a peal) · cs hlaholit (to sound with a peal) · cs vyzvánět (to sound with a peal) · bg еча (to sound with a peal) · mi pere (to sound with a peal) · fi soittaa (to sound with a peal) · fi kumistaa (to sound with a peal) · ota چاكلامق (to sound with a peal) · hy զրնգալ (to sound with a peal) · fi soida (to sound with a peal) · grc ἠχέω (to sound with a peal) · ca campanejar (to sound with a peal)

peal en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /piːl/

Etymology

Uncertain.

Meanings

1. A small salmon; a grilse; a sewin.

Forms