7  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Vail  \Vail\,  v.  t.  [Aphetic  form  of  avale.  See  {Avale},  {Vale}.] 
  [Written  also  {vale},  and  {veil}.] 
  1.  To  let  fail  to  allow  or  cause  to  sink.  [Obs.] 
 
  Vail  your  regard  Upon  a  wronged,  I  would  fain  have 
  said  a  maid!  --Shak. 
 
  2.  To  lower,  or  take  off  in  token  of  inferiority,  reverence, 
  submission,  or  the  like 
 
  France  must  vail  her  lofty-plumed  crest!  --Shak. 
 
  Without  vailing  his  bonnet  or  testifying  any 
  reverence  for  the  alleged  sanctity  of  the  relic. 
  --Sir.  W. 
  Scott. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Vail  \Vail\,  v.  i. 
  To  yield  or  recede;  to  give  place  to  show  respect  by 
  yielding,  uncovering,  or  the  like  [Written  also  {vale},  and 
  {veil}.]  [Obs.] 
 
  Thy  convenience  must  vail  to  thy  neighbor's  necessity. 
  --South. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Vail  \Vail\,  n.  [Aphetic  form  of  avail,  n.] 
  1.  Avails;  profit;  return;  proceeds.  [Obs.] 
 
  My  house  is  as  were  the  cave  where  the  young  outlaw 
  hoards  the  stolen  vails  of  his  occupation. 
  --Chapman. 
 
  2.  An  unexpected  gain  or  acquisition;  a  casual  advantage  or 
  benefit;  a  windfall.  [Obs.] 
 
  3.  Money  given  to  servants  by  visitors;  a  gratuity;  -- 
  usually  in  the  plural.  [Written  also  {vale}.]  --Dryden. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Vale  \Vale\,  n. 
  See  2d  {Vail},  3. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Vale  \Vale\,  n.  [OE.  val,  F.  val,  L.  vallis;  perhaps  akin  to  Gr 
  ?  low  ground,  marsh  meadow.  Cf  {Avalanche},  {Vail}  to  lower, 
  {Valley}.] 
  A  tract  of  low  ground,  or  of  land  between  hills;  a  valley.  `` 
  Make  me  a  cottage  in  the  vale.''  --Tennyson. 
 
  Beyond  this  vale  of  tears  there  is  a  life  above. 
  --Montgomery. 
 
  In  those  fair  vales,  by  nature  formed  to  please. 
  --Harte. 
 
  Note:  Vale  is  more  commonly  used  in  poetry,  and  valley  in 
  prose  and  common  discourse. 
 
  Syn:  Valley;  dingle;  dell;  dale. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  vale 
  n  :  a  long  depression  in  the  surface  of  the  land  that  usually 
  contains  a  river  [syn:  {valley}] 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Vale,  NC 
  Zip  code(s):  28168 
  Vale,  OR  (city,  FIPS  76600) 
  Location:  43.98311  N,  117.24053  W 
  Population  (1990):  1491  (627  housing  units) 
  Area:  2.7  sq  km  (land),  0.0  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  97918 
  Vale,  SD 
  Zip  code(s):  57788 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words