HALE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Hale mean? 

• HALE (noun)
  The noun HALE has 3 senses:

1. a soldier of the American Revolution who was hanged as a spy by the British; his last words were supposed to have been 'I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country' (1755-1776)

2. United States astronomer who discovered that sunspots are associated with strong magnetic fields (1868-1938)

3. prolific United States writer (1822-1909)

  Familiarity information: HALE used as a noun is uncommon.

• HALE (adjective)
  The adjective HALE has 1 sense:

1. exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health

  Familiarity information: HALE used as an adjective is very rare.

• HALE (verb)
  The verb HALE has 2 senses:

1. to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means

2. draw slowly or heavily

  Familiarity information: HALE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HALE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A soldier of the American Revolution who was hanged as a spy by the British; his last words were supposed to have been 'I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country' (1755-1776)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Hale; Nathan Hale

Instance hypernyms:

American Revolutionary leader (a nationalist leader in the American Revolution and in the creation of the United States)

Sense 2

Meaning:

United States astronomer who discovered that sunspots are associated with strong magnetic fields (1868-1938)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

George Ellery Hale; Hale

Instance hypernyms:

astronomer; stargazer; uranologist (a physicist who studies astronomy)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Prolific United States writer (1822-1909)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Edward Everett Hale; Hale

Instance hypernyms:

author; writer (writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay))

• HALE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health

Synonyms:

hale; whole

Context example:

a whole person again

Similar:

healthy (having or indicating good health in body or mind; free from infirmity or disease)

Derivation:

haleness (a state of robust good health)

• HALE (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

To cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

coerce; force; hale; pressure; squeeze

Context example:

He squeezed her for information

Hypernyms (to "hale" is one way to...):

compel; obligate; oblige (force somebody to do something)

Cause:

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hale"):

turn up the heat; turn up the pressure (apply great or increased pressure)

drive (to compel or force or urge relentlessly or exert coercive pressure on, or motivate strongly)

bludgeon (overcome or coerce as if by using a heavy club)

steamroll; steamroller (bring to a specified state by overwhelming force or pressure)

squeeze for (squeeze someone for money, information, etc.)

dragoon; railroad; sandbag (compel by coercion, threats, or crude means)

terrorise; terrorize (coerce by violence or with threats)

bring oneself (cause to undertake a certain action, usually used in the negative)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Draw slowly or heavily

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

cart; drag; hale; haul

Context example:

haul nets

Hypernyms (to "hale" is one way to...):

draw; pull (cause to move by pulling)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "hale"):

bouse; bowse (haul with a tackle)

underrun (haul onto a boat)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

 Context examples 

Would it not be well even now, Edward, to send horsemen to hale him back?

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There soon appeared, pausing in the dark doorway as he entered, a hale, grey-haired old man.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Mr. Laurence, hale and hearty as ever, was quite as much improved as the others by his foreign tour, for the crustiness seemed to be nearly gone, and the old-fashioned courtliness had received a polish which made it kindlier than ever.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Mr Shepherd hastened to assure him, that Admiral Croft was a very hale, hearty, well-looking man, a little weather-beaten, to be sure, but not much, and quite the gentleman in all his notions and behaviour; not likely to make the smallest difficulty about terms, only wanted a comfortable home, and to get into it as soon as possible; knew he must pay for his convenience; knew what rent a ready-furnished house of that consequence might fetch; should not have been surprised if Sir Walter had asked more; had inquired about the manor; would be glad of the deputation, certainly, but made no great point of it; said he sometimes took out a gun, but never killed; quite the gentleman.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Through all the storm and rush of the fight Alleyne had been aware of the voice of Goodwin Hawtayne, the master-shipman, with his constant Hale the bowline!

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His face was so very mild and pleasant, and had something so reverend in it, though it was hale and hearty, that I was not sure but that he was having a good-humoured jest with me.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

What! hale a demoiselle against her will, and then loose dogs at his own brother!

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I should look with a more loving eye upon a jolly archer who never harmed a fallen foe and never feared a hale one.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

By the grace of the Virgin and the help of my patron St. Magdalen, I stopped short ere I reached his door, though, as you saw, he strove to hale me up to it.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)