vailing

Verb

vail (third-person singular simple present vails, present participle vailing, simple past and past participle vailed)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To lower, let fall; to allow or cause to sink.
   • Then let them vale a bonet of their proud ſayle,c. 1515–1516, published 1568, John Skelton, Againſt venemous tongues enpoyſoned with ſclaunder and falſe detractions &c.
2. (transitive) To lower or “dip” a carried flag or banner in a salute by a forward reducing of the angle of the pike/flagstaff with respect to the ground; in extreme instances, as when saluting a monarch, both the banner and the finial of the pike are allowed to rest upon the ground.
3. (intransitive, obsolete) To lower a sail, in salute or otherwise.
   • Both we will walke vpon the loftie cliffes,
     And Chriſtian Merchants that with Ruſſian ſtems
     Plow vp huge furrowes in the Caſpian ſea,
     Shall vaile to vs, as Lords of al the Lake.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC...
4. (obsolete, transitive) To remove as a sign of deference, as a hat.
   • […] Now the time is come
     That France must vail her lofty-plumed crest
     And let her head fall into England’s lap.1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
5. (intransitive, obsolete) To pay homage, bow, submit, defer (to someone or something); to yield, give way (to something).
   • She would with rich and constant pen
     Vail to her mistress Dian;c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry...

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