bale Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a large bundle bound for storage or transport
  2. noun a city in northwestern Switzerland
    Basle; Basel.
  3. verb make into a bale
    • bale hay

WordNet

Bale noun
Etymology
OE. bale, OF. bale, F. balle, LL. bala, fr. OHG. balla, palla, pallo, G. ball, balle, ballen, ball round pack; cf. D. baal. Cf. Ball a round body.
Definitions
  1. A bundle or package of goods in a cloth cover, and corded for storage or transportation; also, a bundle of straw hay, etc., put up compactly for transportation. B. Jonson.
Bale transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Baled (); present participle & verbal noun Baling
Definitions
  1. To make up in a bale. Goldsmith.
Bale transitive verb
Definitions
  1. See Bail, v. t., to lade.
Bale noun
Etymology
AS. bealo, bealu, balu; akin to OS. alu, OHG. balo, Icel. böl, Goth. balweins.
Definitions
  1. Misery; alamity; misfortune; sorrow.
    Let now your bliss be turned into bale. Spenser.
  2. Evil; an evil, pernicious influence; something causing great injury. Now chiefly poetic

Webster 1913