gale

gale
\ \ [16] Gale is a puzzling word. An isolated early example of what appears to be the word, in the phrase gale wind (‘Our life like smoke or chaff is carried away as with a gale wind’, Zachary Boyd, The Last Battle 1619), suggests that it may originally have been an adjective. If this is so, a possible candidate as a source may be Norwegian galen ‘bad’ – making gale etymologically a ‘bad wind’. The Norwegian adjective in turn may go back to Old Norse galinn ‘bewitched, enchanted’, a derivative of galo ‘sing, bewitch, enchant’ (source of English yell and related to the final syllable of nightingale).
\ \ Cf.⇒ NIGHTINGALE, YELL

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • GALE — Parasitose humaine, la gale est due à un acarien: Sarcoptes scabiei . La femelle creuse un sillon dans la couche cornée de l’épiderme de la peau de son hôte. Elle y est fécondée puis pond ses œufs dans une logette située à l’extrémité de ce… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

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  • gale — GALE. s. f. Especes de pustulles qui viennent sur la peau, & qui sont ordinairement accompagnées de demangeaison. Grosse gale. gale seche. gale de chien. vieille gale. donner la gale à quelqu un. prendre, gagner la gale …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Gale — (g[=a]l), n. [Prob. of Scand. origin; cf. Dan. gal furious, Icel. galinn, cf. Icel. gala to sing, AS. galan to sing, Icel. galdr song, witchcraft, AS. galdor charm, sorcery, E. nightingale; also, Icel. gj[=o]la gust of wind, gola breeze. Cf.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Gale's — is a UK brand of Honey and Lemon curd, marketed by Premier Foods. History The brand was first produced in 1919 in London. Advertising A jingle used to advertise the honey was: Gales, Gales pass the honey please, think about the honey, think about …   Wikipedia

  • galė — galė̃ sf. (4) [K] galia, jėga: Dirbk, kiek išneša galė rš. Nebuvo nei galės, nei valės S.Dauk. Lapės kalba teip patiko varnai, jog ji, išplėtusi kakarinę, sukrankė iš visos galės (ps.) Blv. Jis turi didelę gãlę Žlb. Galė̃s nėra šulinį įsitaisyti …   Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language

  • Gale — Gale, v. i. [AS. galan. See 1st {Gale}.] To sing. [Obs.] Can he cry and gale. Court of Love. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Gale — Gale, n. [AS. gagel, akin to D. gagel.] (Bot.) A plant of the genus {Myrica}, growing in wet places, and strongly resembling the bayberry. The sweet gale ({Myrica Gale}) is found both in Europe and in America. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • gale — [geıl] n [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: Perhaps from Norwegian galen bad ] 1.) a very strong wind ▪ a severe gale. it s blowing a gale BrE (=it s very windy) 2.) a gale/gales of laughter a sudden loud sound of laughter …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Gale — Gale, n. [OE. gal. See {Gale} wind.] A song or story. [Obs.] Toone. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Gale — Gale, n. [Cf. {Gabel}.] The payment of a rent or annuity. [Eng.] Mozley & W. [1913 Webster] {Gale day}, the day on which rent or interest is due. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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