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hale

/heɪl/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about hale at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. A soldier of the American Revolution who was hanged as a spy by the British; his last words were supposed to have been `I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country' (1755-1776).
  2. United States astronomer who discovered that sunspots are associated with strong magnetic fields (1868-1938).
  3. Prolific United States writer (1822-1909).

verb

  1. To cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means.
    She forced him to take a job in the city
  2. Draw slowly or heavily.
    haul stones

adjective

  1. Exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health.
    hale and hearty

Origin

From Northern Middle English hal, hale, variants of hole (“healthy; safe; whole”, whence whole), from Old English hāl, from Proto-West Germanic *hail, from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (“whole; entire; healthy”). See whole for more.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)