3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Wale  \Wale\,  v.  t. 
  1.  To  mark  with  wales,  or  stripes. 
 
  2.  To  choose  to  select;  specifically  (Mining),  to  pick  out 
  the  refuse  of  (coal)  by  hand,  in  order  to  clean  it  [Prov. 
  Eng.  &  Scot.] 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Wale  \Wale\,  n.  [AS.  walu  a  mark  of  stripes  or  blows,  probably 
  originally,  a  rod;  akin  to  Icel.  v["o]lr,  Goth.  walus  a  rod, 
  staff.  [root]146.  Cf  {Goal},  {Weal}  a  wale.] 
  1.  A  streak  or  mark  made  on  the  skin  by  a  rod  or  whip;  a 
  stripe;  a  wheal.  See  {Wheal}.  --Holland. 
 
  2.  A  ridge  or  streak  rising  above  the  surface,  as  of  cloth; 
  hence  the  texture  of  cloth. 
 
  Thou  'rt  rougher  far  And  of  a  coarser  wale,  fuller 
  of  pride.  --Beau  &  Fl 
 
  3.  (Carp.)  A  timber  bolted  to  a  row  of  piles  to  secure  them 
  together  and  in  position.  --Knight. 
 
  4.  (Naut.) 
  a  pl  Certain  sets  or  strakes  of  the  outside  planking  of 
  a  vessel;  as  the  main  wales,  or  the  strakes  of 
  planking  under  the  port  sills  of  the  gun  deck;  channel 
  wales,  or  those  along  the  spar  deck,  etc 
  b  A  wale  knot,  or  wall  knot. 
 
  {Wale  knot}.  (Naut.)  See  {Wall  knot},  under  1st  {Wall}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  wale 
  n  1:  a  raised  mark  on  the  skin  (as  produced  by  a  blow)  [syn:  {welt}, 
  {weal},  {wheal}] 
  2:  a  ridge  of  thick  planking  along  the  side  of  a  wooden  ship 
  [syn:  {strake}] 

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