Definitions
thick plank forming a ridge along the side of a wooden ship
Word origin
The noun is from Middle English wāle (“planking, welt”), from Old English walu (“ridge, bank; rib, comb (of helmet); metal ridge on top of helmet; weal, mark of a blow”), from Proto-Germanic *waluz (“stick, root”), from Proto-Indo-European *welH- (“to turn, wind, roll”). Akin to Low German wāle; Old Norse vala (“knuckle”). The verb is from late Middle English wālen, from the noun.
Used in a sentence
“Most twills are continuous—the wale goes from one corner to the one diagonally opposite. Pattern, however, can be achieved by periodically changing the direction of the wales.”
“I have woven a small sample of striped corduroy shown here. […] The stripe draws the eye from side to side while the wales draw the eye up and down.”
“Crepon cloths, with their heavy crape-like wale, are a noteworthy part of the season's importations.”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer2 curated clues
01“Raised rib”4 letters
02“Raised ridge on fabric”4 letters
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