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.