empale

3 definitions found

empale - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Empale \Em*pale"\, v. t. [Pref. em- (L. in) + pale: cf. OF.
     empalir.]
     To make pale. [Obs.]
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           No bloodless malady empales their face.  --G. Fletcher.
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  Empale \Em*pale"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Empaled; p. pr. & vb.
     n. Empaling.] [OF. empaler to palisade, pierce, F. empaler
     to punish by empalement; pref. em- (L. in) + OF. & F. pal a
     pale, stake. See Pale a stake, and cf. Impale.] [Written
     also impale.]
     1. To fence or fortify with stakes; to surround with a line
        of stakes for defense; to impale.
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              All that dwell near enemies empale villages, to save
              themselves from surprise.             --Sir W.
                                                    Raleigh.
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     2. To inclose; to surround. See Impale.
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     3. To put to death by thrusting a sharpened stake through the
        body.
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     4. (Her.) Same as Impale.
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empale - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  empale
      v 1: pierce with a sharp stake or point; "impale a shrimp on a
           skewer" [syn: transfix, impale, empale, spike]