More useless knowledge I picked of in my day working for the company.

Wale, or a wale, is, as I found out, the technical name for the texture of corduroy fabric. The little ridges are called "wales", not to be confused with the Country. So the "Shoosh-shoosh" locomotive sound you make whilst walking in a pair of corduroy overalls is your wales rubbing together.

And now you know.

Wale (?), n. [AS. walu a mark of stripes or blows, probably originally, a rod; akin to Icel. volr, Goth. walus a rod, staff. Cf. Goal, Weal a wale.]

1.

A streak or mark made on the skin by a rod or whip; a stripe; a wheal. See Wheal.

Holland.

2.

A ridge or streak rising above the surface, as of cloth; hence, the texture of cloth.

Thou 'rt rougher far, And of a coarser wale, fuller of pride. Beau & Fl.

3. Carp.

A timber bolted to a row of piles to secure them together and in position.

Knight.

4. Naut. (a) pl.

Certain sets or strakes of the outside planking of a vessel; as, the main wales, or the strakes of planking under the port sills of the gun deck; channel wales, or those along the spar deck, etc.

(b)

A wale knot, or wall knot.

Wale knot. Naut. See Wall knot, under 1st Wall.

 

© Webster 1913.


Wale, v. t.

1.

To mark with wales, or stripes.

2.

To choose; to select; specifically Mining, to pick out the refuse of (coal) by hand, in order to clean it.

[Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

 

© Webster 1913.

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