weale

Noun

wale (plural wales)

1. A ridge or low barrier.
2. A raised rib in knitted goods or fabric, especially corduroy.
   • Most twills are continuous—the wale goes from one corner to the one diagonally opposite. Pattern, however, can be achieved by periodically changing the direction of the wales.1979, Kax Wilson, A History of Textiles, Westview Press, →ISBN, pages 66-67
3. The texture of a piece of fabric.
   • Crepon cloths, with their heavy crape-like wale, are a noteworthy part of the season's importations.1892, “Family Fashions and Fancies”, in Good Housekeeping, volume 14, page 85
4. A horizontal ridge or ledge on the outside planking of a wooden ship, such as a gunwale or a chainwale.
   • The strakes between the several ranges of ports, beginning from under the upper-deck ports of a three-decked ship in the royal navy, are called the channel wale, the middle wale, and the main wale.1863, Andrew Murray, Ship-building in Iron and Wood, page 93
5. A horizontal timber used for supporting or retaining earth.
   • A few feet below the first wale another timber is inserted, likewise secured by struts.1889 February 23, Architecture and Building: A Journal of Investment and Construction, volume 10, page 63
6. A timber bolted to a row of piles to secure them together and in position.
   • Except Plank upon the Head of the Key, and under the upper Wale, and Plank to join the piles.1754, Thomas Gardner, An Historical Account of Dunwich […]

See all 14 meanings of wale

Noun (1)

weal (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) Wealth, riches.
2. (literary) Welfare, prosperity.
   • Therefore for Gods loue, and as we loue the weale of our Soules and Bodies, let us ſo behaue our ſelues, as we may be at peace with God, and may finde grace in the Eyes of this People.1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “New Atlantis. A Worke Vnfinished.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn]...
3. (broadly) Boon, benefit.
   • And indeed I blamed myself and sore repented me of having taken compassion on him and continued in this condition, suffering fatigue not to be described, till I said to myself, "I wrought him a weal and he requited me with my ill; by Allah, never more will I do any man a service so long as I live!"1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 557
4. Specifically, the general happiness of a community, country etc. (often with qualifying word).
   • Yet never was there a time when it more concerned the public weal, that the character of the parliament should stand high.1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter IV, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume I, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 515

Noun (2)

weal (plural weals)

1. A raised, longitudinal wound, usually purple, on the surface of flesh caused by a stroke of a rod or whip; a welt.
   • [A]lthough a few [slaves] live comfortably at Paramaribo, the greateſt number are wretched, particularly thoſe governed by a lady, who have many weals to ſhow, but not the ſmallest indulgence to boaſt of.1796, J[ohn] G[abriel] Stedman, chapter XII, in Narrative of a Five Years’ Expedition against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the Wild Coast of South America; […], volume I, London...

   Synonyms:

   wheal

See all 6 meanings of weal