Definition of PALE

pale

Plural: pales

Noun

  • a wooden strip forming part of a fence
  • Paleness; pallor.
  • A wooden stake; a picket.
  • A fence made from wooden stake; palisade.
  • Limits, bounds (especially before of).
  • A vertical band down the middle of a shield.
  • A territory or defensive area within a specific boundary or under a given jurisdiction.
  • The parts of Ireland under English jurisdiction.
  • A territory or defensive area within a specific boundary or under a given jurisdiction.
  • The territory around Calais under English control (from the 14th to 16th centuries).
  • A territory or defensive area within a specific boundary or under a given jurisdiction.
  • A portion of Russia in which Jews were permitted to live (the Pale of Settlement).
  • The jurisdiction (territorial or otherwise) of an authority.
  • A cheese scoop.

Verb

Verb Forms: paled, paling, pales

  • To become or cause to become light in color.
  • turn pale, as if in fear
  • To turn pale; to lose colour.
  • To become insignificant.
  • To make pale; to diminish the brightness of.
  • To enclose with pales, or as if with pales; to encircle or encompass; to fence off.

Adjective Satellite

  • very light colored; highly diluted with white
    • "pale seagreen"
    • "pale blue eyes"
  • (of light) lacking in intensity or brightness; dim or feeble
    • "the pale light of a half moon"
    • "a pale sun"
    • "the late afternoon light coming through the el tracks fell in pale oblongs on the street"
    • "the pale (or wan) stars"
  • lacking in vitality or interest or effectiveness
    • "a pale rendition of the aria"
    • "pale prose with the faint sweetness of lavender"
  • abnormally deficient in color as suggesting physical or emotional distress
  • not full or rich
    • "high, pale, pure and lovely song"

Adj

  • Light in color.
  • Having a pallor (a light color, especially due to sickness, shock, fright etc.).
  • Feeble, faint.

Adjective

  • Lacking color intensity; very light in hue.

Examples

  • After his opponent’s bingo, his face went PALE with shock.
  • He is but a pale shadow of his former self.
  • His face turned pale after hearing about his mother's death.
  • I have pale yellow wallpaper.
  • She had pale skin because she didn't get much sunlight.
  • She turned pale and screamed on seeing the spider in the toilet.
  • The brilliance of his strategy made other players’ efforts PALE in comparison.
  • The son's clumsy paintings are a pale imitation of his father's.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English pale, from Old French pale, from Latin pallidus (“pale, pallid”), from palleō (“I am pale; I grow pale; I fade”), from Proto-Indo-European *pelito-, from *pelH- (“gray”). Doublet of pallid. Displaced native Old English blāc.

Synonyms

blanch, blench, pallid, picket, sick, wan

Scrabble Score: 6

pale: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
pale: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
pale: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 8

pale: valid Words With Friends Word