Meaning

A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts, laughter, of a multitude, etc..

Definitions by Sense

1. A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts, laughter, of a multitude, etc.
2. (collective) A set of bells tuned to each other according to the diatonic scale.
3. The changes rung on a set of bells; in the strict sense a full peal of at least 5040 changes.
4. (intransitive) To sound with a peal or peals.
5. (transitive) To utter or sound loudly.
6. (transitive) To assail with noise.
7. (intransitive) To resound; to echo.
8. (obsolete) To appeal.

Example Sentences

Whether thoſe peales of praiſe be his or no.

a fair peal of artillery

and the deep thunder, peal on peal, afar

Mrs. Green burst out into one of those peals so peculiarly British.

And, falling on a bench, he laughed until the tears ran down his cheeks, I could not help joining; and we laughed together, peal after peal[…]

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 short peals as ever.

Ingulphus, the chronicler of Croyland Abbey, mentions that a peal 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.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep...

Word Forms

• peals
• pealing
• pealed
• peel

Synonyms for peal

Related Words

When Should You Use Peal?

Use peal when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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