Pale

/peɪl/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A stake or post used to enclose an area.

The horses were kept within a pale made of wooden stakes.

The limits, bounds, or confines of something.

The village lies outside the pale of the forest.

verb

To become or make pale in color.

Her cheeks paled as she heard the shocking news.

adjective

Light in color or shade; not bright or deep.

Her pale dress seemed to glow in the evening light.

Lacking intensity of color; washed out.

He looked pale after recovering from the illness.

Weak or insufficient in strength or significance.

His argument was pale compared to the evidence presented.

Middle English, from Old French 'pal', from Latin 'pallidus'.

pale in comparison

To seem insignificant or less impressive when compared to something else.

pale with fear

To look very frightened or worried.

pale as a ghost

Extremely pale, often due to shock or fear.

paleness

The quality of being pale.

pallid

Very pale in appearance, typically due to poor health.

bleach

To make white or colorless, often used in reference to lightening colors.

pale out

He totally paled out when he found out he failed the test.

pale face

Look at him, he's such a pale face at the party!