Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To lower (a banner, for example).
  • intransitive verb To doff (one's hat) as a token of respect or submission.
  • intransitive verb To descend; lower.
  • intransitive verb To doff one's hat.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • See veil.
  • noun Profit; gain; produce.
  • noun An unlooked-for or casual acquisition; a windfall.
  • noun Money given to servants by a visitor; a tip: usually in the plural. Also vale.
  • noun Submission; descent; decline.
  • To profit; benefit; avail: a poetical use.
  • To let or cast down; let fall; lower; doff, especially in token of submission.
  • To yield; give place; express respect or submission by yielding, uncovering, or otherwise; bow.
  • To drop; move down; take a lower position; slope downward.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb obsolete To yield or recede; to give place; to show respect by yielding, uncovering, or the like.
  • noun obsolete Submission; decline; descent.
  • transitive verb obsolete To let fall; to allow or cause to sink.
  • transitive verb To lower, or take off, in token of inferiority, reverence, submission, or the like.
  • obsolete Same as veil.
  • noun obsolete Avails; profit; return; proceeds.
  • noun obsolete An unexpected gain or acquisition; a casual advantage or benefit; a windfall.
  • noun Money given to servants by visitors; a gratuity; -- usually in the plural.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun obsolete profit; return; proceeds.
  • noun obsolete submission
  • verb intransitive, obsolete To yield.
  • verb transitive, obsolete To remove as a sign of deference, as a hat.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English valen, short for avalen, from Old French avaler, from aval, downward, from Latin ad vallem, to the valley : ad, to; see ad– + vallem, accusative of vallēs, valley; see wel- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Aphetic form of avail

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Aphetic form of avale

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Examples

  • V. viii.7 (146,1) Even with the vail and darkening of the sun] The _vail_ is, I think, the _sinking_ of the sun; not _veil_ or _cover_.

    Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies Samuel Johnson 1746

  • Wolf, you cant fool me, behind that thin vail on your face l can see through your deep desire to have Hillary as the nominee regardless of whichever way it comes.

    Blitzer: Hold new Florida, Michigan primaries in August? 2008

  • In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

    Probably Just One Of Those Funny Coincidences 2006

  • In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

    Villaraigosa And Nunez Cut And Run - Video Report 2006

  • But we have now “boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh: and having an high priest over the house of God, we may draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith,” Heb. x.

    Of Communion with God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost 1616-1683 1965

  • He hath consecrated for us a new and living way (the old being quite shut up), “through the vail, that is to say, his flesh,” Heb.x. 20; and “through him we have access by one Spirit unto the Father,” Eph. ii.

    Of Communion with God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost 1616-1683 1965

  • For this purpose it was necessary that liberty should be granted to us of "entering into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by that new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh."

    The Works of James Arminius, Vol. 1 1560-1609 1956

  • "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living; way, which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; and having a high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."

    Gathering Jewels The Secret of a Beautiful Life: In Memoriam of Mr. & Mrs. James Knowles. Selected from Their Diaries. James Sheridan Knowles 1823

  • For this it is which the apostle meaneth when he saith, we have "boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh."

    The Heavenly Footman John Bunyan 1658

  • I answer, But there are not two ways to heaven, not two living ways; there is one new and living way, which Christ hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; and besides that one, there is no more.

    Works of John Bunyan — Volume 02 John Bunyan 1658

Comments

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  • "'Why, you lemon: don't you even know what a Hand of Glory is? Well, I'll tell you. It is one of the hangman's prime perquisites.'

    'What's a perquisite?'

    'Don't you know what a ... ? You're ignorant, is all. Dead ignorant.'

    A voice: 'The same as vails.'

    Another: 'Advantages on the side, like.'"

    --Patrick O'Brian, The Hundred Days, 68

    A Sea of Words: A profit or emolument in addition to salary, wages, or other regular payment, especially one attached to an office or position; a fee or offering of this nature. A gratuity given to a servant or attendant, esp. by a house guest upon leaving. In the 17th and 18th centuries, servants were paid largely by means of these gratuities. (p. 456)

    March 20, 2008

  • Gil Blas, said he, I take you to be a very sensible lad, and am well pleased to have you in my service. On your part, you shall have no reason to complain. I will give you six rials a day board wages, besides vails.

    - Lesage, The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane, tr. Smollett, bk 3 ch. 1

    September 13, 2008