peal

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   ring recurrently

   Bells were pealing.

2. 2
   noun

   A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts, laughter, of a multitude, etc.

   Whether thoſe peales of praiſe be his or no.

3. 3
   noun

   A set of bells tuned to each other according to the diatonic scale.

   Ingulphus, the chronicler of Croyland Abbey, mentions that a peal of seven bells was put up there in the tenth century, and that there was not such a harmonious peal in the whole of England; which implies that rings of bells were then common.

4. 4
   verb

   To sound with a peal or peals.

   Then pealed the bells more loud and deep...

From Middle English pele, peil, probably an apheretic variant of Middle English apel, appel, from Old French apel (“an appeal; pealing of bells”). Compare appeal.

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