hale

¹hale

adjective \ˈhāl\

Definition of HALE

: free from defect, disease, or infirmity : sound; also : retaining exceptional health and vigor <a hale and hearty old man>

Examples of HALE

1. <still hale and strong at 80, often outdoing his younger golfing buddies>

Origin of HALE

partly from Middle English (northern) hale, from Old English hāl; partly from Middle English hail, from Old Norse heill — more at whole

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to HALE

Synonyms

able-bodied, bouncing, fit, healthy, hearty, robust, sound, well, well-conditioned, whole, wholesome

Antonyms

ailing, diseased, ill, sick, unfit, unhealthy, unsound, unwell

Related Words

hard, hardy, iron, lusty, rugged, stalwart, strong, sturdy, tough; ambulatory, nondisabled, uncrippled; active, agile, chipper, lively, sprightful, sprightly, spry, vigorous, vital; blooming, clean-cut, flourishing, flush, prospering, thriving; all right, good, right

Near Antonyms

decrepit, enfeebled, feeble, infirm, run-down, sickened, sickly, weak, weakened, weakly, worn-out; challenged, crippled, debilitated, differently abled, disabled, halt, incapacitated, lame; delicate, fragile, frail; emaciated, gaunt, haggard, malnourished, undernourished; afflicted, troubled; bad, poorly

See Synonym Discussion at healthy

Rhymes with HALE

ail, ale, bail, bale, Bâle, brail, braille, Braille, dale, fail, flail, frail, Gael, gale, Gale, grail, hail, jail, kale, mail, male, nail, pail, pale, quail, Quayle, rail, sail, sale, scale, shale, snail, stale, swale, tael, tail, taille, tale, trail, vail, vale, veil, wail, wale, whale, Yale

²hale

transitive verb

haledhal·ing

Definition of HALE

1

: haul, pull

2

: to compel to go

Examples of HALE

1. <the fishermen haled the huge net onto the deck of the ship>

Origin of HALE

Middle English halen, from Anglo-French haler, aler — more at haul

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to HALE

Synonyms

drag, draw, pull, haul, lug, tow, tug

Antonyms

drive, propel, push

Related Words

attract; heave, jerk, yank; carry, convey, ferry, move, transport

Near Antonyms

shove, thrust

Hale

biographical name \ˈhāl\

Definition of HALE

Edward Everett 1822–1909 Am. Unitarian clergyman & writer

Hale

biographical name

Definition of HALE

George Ellery 1868–1938 Am. astron.

Hale

biographical name

Definition of HALE

Sir Matthew 1609–1676 Eng. jurist

Hale

biographical name

Definition of HALE

Nathan 1755–1776 Am. Revolutionary hero