peal

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: the loud ringing of bells
the peal of wedding bells
b
: a complete set of changes (see change entry 2 sense 6) on a given number of bells
c
: a set of bells tuned to the tones of the major (see major entry 1 sense 7a) scale for change ringing
2
: a loud sound or succession of sounds
peals of laughter
peals of thunder

peal

2 of 2

verb

pealed; pealing; peals

intransitive verb

: to give out peals

transitive verb

: to utter or give forth loudly

Examples of peal in a Sentence

Noun the peal of wedding bells Verb the village bells pealed every hour in commemoration
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Instead, fans turned the nasty weather into a party, cheering louder at every peal of thunder. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 1 July 2024 The rhythm of young voices in the water could be the peal of Archaic bells. Antonia Quirke, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 May 2024
Verb
What other unique design features are a part of the new St. Charles? Another feature of the church people can enjoy, Cattani said, are four large bells in the church's bell tower that peal throughout the day as well as for weddings and funerals. Cathy Kozlowicz, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024 Keep your hears open and your eyes pealed on Leap Day. Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 19 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for peal 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'peal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, appeal, summons to church, short for appel appeal, from appelen to appeal

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1593, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of peal was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near peal

Cite this Entry

“Peal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peal. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

peal

noun
ˈpē(ə)l
1
: the loud ringing of bells
2
: a loud sound or series of sounds
a peal of laughter
a peal of thunder
peal verb

More from Merriam-Webster on peal

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