peal
pronunciation
How to pronounce peal in British English:
UK [pi:l]
How to pronounce peal in American English:
US [pil]
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- Noun:
- a deep prolonged sound (as of thunder or large bells)
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- Verb:
- ring recurrently
- sound loudly and sonorously
Word Origin
- peal
- peal: see appeal
- peal (n.)
- mid-14c., "a ringing of a bell" especially as a call to church service, generally considered a shortened form of appeal (n.), with the notion of a bell that "summons" people to church (compare similar evolution in peach (v.)). Extended sense of "loud ringing of bells" is first recorded 1510s.
- peal (v.)
- 1630s, from peal (n.). Related: Pealed; pealing.
Example
- 1. A fourth peal burst out .
- 2. I heard the task peal .
- 3. Surely the wickedness of falsehoods , and breach of faith , cannot possibly be so highly expressed , as in mat it shall be the last peal , to call the judgements of god upon the generations of men , it being foretold , that when christ cometh .
- 4. As they came out of church the ringers swung the bells off their rests , and a modest peal of three notes broke forth - that limited amount of expression having been deemed sufficient by the church builders for the joys of such a small parish .
- 5. A peal of church bells rang out in the distance .