FromMiddle Englishpele,peil, probably anapheretic variant ofMiddle Englishapel,appel, fromOld Frenchapel(“an appeal; pealing of bells”). Compareappeal.
peal (pluralpeals)
- A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts, laughter, of amultitude, etc.
c.1596–1598 (date written),William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, inMr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, andEd[ward] Blount, published1623,→OCLC,[Act III, scene ii],page174, column 2:Whether thoſepeales of praiſe be his or no.
a.1628 (date written),John Hayward,The Life, and Raigne of KingEdward the Sixt, London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press, and J. Lichfield at Oxford?] for Iohn Partridge, […], published1630,→OCLC:a fairpeal of artillery
1986,John le Carré,A Perfect Spy:And she has half a mind to weep again now, for Jack Brotherhood, as the front doorbell sounds through the house like a bugle call, three shortpeals as ever.
- (collective) A set ofbells tuned to each other according to thediatonic scale.
1908, H. B. Walters, chapter 1, inChurch Bells[1]:Ingulphus, the chronicler of Croyland Abbey, mentions that apeal of seven bells was put up there in the tenth century, and that there was not such a harmonious peal in the whole of England; which implies that rings of bells were then common.
- Thechanges rung on a set of bells; in the strict sense afull peal of at least 5040 changes.
the sound of ringing bells
peal (third-person singular simple presentpeals,present participlepealing,simple past and past participlepealed)
- (intransitive) To sound with a peal or peals.
1939 [1905], “In My Merry Oldsmobile”, Vincent P. Bryan (lyrics), Gus Edwards (music), performed byBing Crosby:To the church we'll swiftly steal, then our wedding bells willpeal, / You can go as far you like with me, in my merry Oldsmobile
2006 September 11, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, “Bush Mourns 9/11 at Ground Zero as N.Y. Remembers”, inThe New York Times[2],→ISSN:The bellpealed 20 times, clanging into the dusk as Mr. Bush’s motorcade drove off.
- (transitive) Toutter orsound loudly.
1807,Joel Barlow,The Columbiad:The warrior's name, / Thoughpealed and chimed on all the tongues of fame.
- (transitive) Toassail withnoise.
1667,John Milton, “Book II”, inParadise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […];[a]nd by Robert Boulter […];[a]nd Matthias Walker, […],→OCLC; republished asParadise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […],1873,→OCLC:Nor was his ear lesspealed.
- (intransitive) Toresound; toecho.
- (obsolete) Toappeal.
c.1450,The Boke of Curtasye:To A baron of chekker þay mun hitpele'.
Uncertain.
peal (pluralpeals)
- A smallsalmon; agrilse; asewin.
Adessive case ofpea.
peal
- adessivesingular ofpea
peal
- on,on top of
