vail

Meanings

Noun

• Profit; return; proceeds.
• Money given to servants by visitors; a gratuity; also vale.
• Submission.
• Misspelling of veil

Verb

• To lower, let fall; to allow or cause to sink.
• 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.
• To lower a sail, in salute or otherwise.
• To remove as a sign of deference, as a hat.
• To pay homage, bow, submit, defer (to someone or something); to yield, give way (to something).
• Misspelling of veil

Origin

• From Middle English vayle, from Old French vail, from valoir, from Latin valeō ("I am worth").
• From Middle English valen; either from Anglo-Norman valer or a clipping of avalen. Compare avale.