grail

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Definitions (15)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun A cup or plate that, according to medieval legend, was used by Jesus at the Last Supper and that later became the object of many chivalrous quests. Also called Holy Grail.
  2. noun The object of a prolonged endeavor.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (7)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (4)

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Examples (50)

  • And now I'm over the moon he's heading home as the ABs go in pursuit of that very elusive holy grail, the Webb Ellis Trophy. —  Telegraph Blogs
  • I still think the holy grail is the 27 minute long version of Helter Skelter recorded 18 July 1968, but then I'm weird like that!! is that odd metallic guitar sound through the track just like the backwards guitar in the who's armenia city in the sky? —  MetaFilter Projects
  • Of course, the holy grail is a first edition signed by the author. —  Latest entries from endlesslyrocking.blog-city.com
  • A few years ago it looked as though the grail was within reach. —  Evolution News & Views
  • Many articles have been written about the grail, and several good templates exist. —  Netvouz - new bookmarks
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Etymologies (6)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English greal, from Old French graal, from Medieval Latin gradālis, flat dish.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (5)

  1. from Middle English grayle, grayel, grale = Old Dutch gral, from Old French grael, greel, graal, greil, gree, a service-book (cf. grael, greal, a degree) (French graduel = Provencal Spanish Portuguese gradual = Italian graduale), from Middle Latin graduale, also gradale, a service-book, a gradual: see gradual, n., 2.
  2. Early modern English grayle; from Middle English graal (= Middle High German grāl, grazal, gresal, German graal, gral), etc., from Old French graal, greal, greail, greel, greil, also in the general sense grasal, F. dial, grazal, grazau, grial, grau, gro = Provencal grazal = Old Catalan gresal = Old Spanish grial = Portuguese gral, in Middle Latin variously gradalis, gradale, grasale, grasala, a flat dish, a shallow vessel; the forms show unusual variation, being apparently manipulated on account of the legendary associations of the word (so Old French saint greal, ‘holy dish,’ was manipulated into sang real, prop, ‘royal blood,’ but taken for ‘real blood,’ Middle Latin sanguis realis), and the original form is not certain; it was prob. gradalis, pointing to a probable corruption (simulating gradale, a service-book, a gradual, also an antiphon, etc.: see grail) of Middle Latin cratella, diminutive of crater, a bowl: see crater.
  3. As used by Spenser (def. 2), spelled graile, grayle, and apparently regarded by him as a contr. of gravel; but in all senses apparently ult. from Old French graile, graille, later grcsle, French grêle, fine, small (from Latin gracilis, slender, thin: see gracile), confused with Old French gresle, French gréle, hail (cf. French grésil = Provencal grazil, sleet), from Old French gres, French grès, grit, from OHO. grioz, German gries = Anglo-Saxon greôt, English grit: see grit.
  4. Cf. grail.
  5. from grail, n.
 

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/greɪl/
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