wale

Meanings

Noun

• A ridge or low barrier.
• A raised rib in knit goods or fabric, especially corduroy. (As opposed to course).
• The texture of a piece of fabric.
• A horizontal ridge or ledge on the outside planking of a wooden ship. (See gunwale, chainwale)
• A horizontal timber used for supporting or retaining earth.
• A timber bolted to a row of piles to secure them together and in position.
• A ridge on the outside of a horse collar.
• A ridge or streak produced on skin by a cane or whip.
• Something selected as being the best, preference; choice.

Verb

• To strike the skin in such a way as to produce a wale or welt.
• To give a surface a texture of wales or welts.
• To choose, select.

Origin

• The noun is from Middle English wale, from Old English walu ("ridge, bank; rib, comb (of helmet); metal ridge on top of helmet; weal, mark of a blow"), from Proto-Germanic *waluz ("stick, root"), from Proto-Indo-European *welH- ("to turn, wind, roll"). Akin to Low German wale; Old Norse vala. The verb is from late Middle English wālen, from the noun.
• From Middle English wale, wal, from Old Norse val ("choice"), from Proto-Germanic *walą, *walō, from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁- ("to choose, want"). Akin to Old Norse velja ("to choose"), Old High German wala "choice" (German Wahl "choice"), Old English willan ("to want"). More at will.