Wale

/ˈweɪl/ · noun

Meaning

A ridge or low barrier..

Definitions by Sense

1. A ridge or low barrier.
2. A raised rib in knitted goods or fabric, especially corduroy.
3. The texture of a piece of fabric.
4. (nautical) A horizontal ridge or ledge on the outside planking of a wooden ship, such as a gunwale or a chainwale.
5. A horizontal timber used for supporting or retaining earth.
6. A timber bolted to a row of piles to secure them together and in position.
7. A ridge on the outside of a horse collar.
8. A ridge or streak produced on skin by a cane or whip.

Example Sentences

Most twills are continuous—the wale goes from one corner to the one diagonally opposite. Pattern, however, can be achieved by periodically changing the direction of the wales.

I have woven a small sample of striped corduroy shown here. […] The stripe draws the eye from side to side while the wales draw the eye up and down.

The fabric may be further described according to the number of wales per inch: Corduroy known as fine wale, pin-wale, or needle wale has very thin wales (usually twelve or more per inch, i.e., the width of a pin), while wide wale corduroy has thicker wales (usually six or fewer per inch).

Crepon cloths, with their heavy crape-like wale, are a noteworthy part of the season's importations.

The strakes between the several ranges of ports, beginning from under the upper-deck ports of a three-decked ship in the royal navy, are called the channel wale, the middle wale, and the main wale.

A few feet below the first wale another timber is inserted, likewise secured by struts.

Except Plank upon the Head of the Key, and under the upper Wale, and Plank to join the piles.

The wale is shaped to the size of the horse's neck, and then sewn together, with a flap, known as the 'barge', left free along one side. To this 'barge' the body of the collar is sewn.

Synonyms for wale

Antonyms for wale

Related Words

Word Forms

• wales
• waling
• waled
• wail

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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