hale
/heɪl/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: haler · halest · hales · haling
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Sound, entire, healthy; robust, not impaired.
AdjectiveRegister: dated
Examples
His stomach too begins to fail: / Last year we thought him strong and hale; / But now he's quite another thing: / I wish he may hold out till spring!
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
To drag or pull, especially forcibly.
Verb
Examples
For I had beene vilely hurried and haled by those poore men, which had taken the paines to carry me upon their armes a long and wearysome way, and to say truth, they had all beene wearied twice or thrice over, and were faine to shift severall times.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “hale” mean?
Sound, entire, healthy; robust, not impaired.
Is “hale” formal or informal?
hale is generally dated.