pale1
(peɪl)
adj. pal•er, pal•est, adj. 1. lacking intensity of color; colorless or whitish: a pale complexion.
2. of a low degree of chroma, saturation, or purity; approaching white or gray: pale yellow.
3. not bright or brilliant; dim: the pale moon.
4. faint or feeble; weak: a pale protest.
v.i., v.t. 5. to make or become pale: to pale at the sight of blood.
[1250–1300; Middle English < Middle French < Latin
pallidus pallid]
pale′ly, adv.
pale′ness, n.
pale2
(peɪl)
n., v. paled, pal•ing. n. 1. a stake or picket, as of a fence.
2. an enclosing or confining barrier; enclosure.
3. an enclosed area.
4. limits; bounds: outside the pale of my jurisdiction.
5. a district or region within designated bounds.
6. a central vertical stripe in a heraldic escutcheon.
v.t. 7. to enclose with pales; fence.
8. to encircle or encompass.
Idioms: beyond the pale, beyond the limits of propriety, courtesy, etc.
[1300–50; Middle English (north), Old English pāl < Latin pālus stake]
pale-
var. of
paleo- before vowels:
palearctic. Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.