Peal

Pronunciation

• IPA: /piːl/
• Homophones: peel
• Rhymes: -iːl

From French appel ("a call, appeal, ruffle of a drum").

Full definition of peal

Noun

1. A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts, laughter, of a multitude, etc.
• 1883: Robert Louis Stevenson, 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...
• Haywarda fair peal of artillery
• Shakespearewhether those peals of praise be his or no
• Byronand a deep thunder, peal on peal, afar
2. A set of bells tuned to each other according to the diatonic scale.
3. The changes rung on a set of bells.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To sound with a peal or peals.
• 1864: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Christmas BellsThen pealed the bells more loud and deep...
• 1939: Bing Crosby, In My Merry OldsmobileTo 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.
• 2006: New York TimesThe bell pealed 20 times, clanging into the dusk as Mr. Bush’s motorcade drove off.
2. (transitive) To utter or sound loudly.
• J. BarlowThe warrior's name,
  Though pealed and chimed on all the tongues of fame.
3. (transitive) To assail with noise.
• MiltonNor was his ear less pealed.
4. To resound; to echo.
• LongfellowAnd the whole air pealed
  With the cheers of our men.
5. (UK, dialect) To pour out.
6. (obsolete) To appeal.

Uncertain.

Noun

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

Anagrams

• leap
• pale
• plea