peal

noun

1. A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts, laughter, of a multitude, etc.

   “Whether thoſe peales of praiſe be his or no.”

   “a fair peal of artillery”

   “and the deep thunder, peal on peal, afar”

   “Mrs. Green burst out into one of those peals so peculiarly British.”

   “And, falling on a bench, he laughed until the tears ran down his cheeks, I could not help joining; and we laughed together, peal after peal[…]”

2. (collective)A set of bells tuned to each other according to the diatonic scale.

   “Ingulphus, the chronicler of Croyland Abbey, mentions that a peal of seven bells was put up there in the tenth century, and that there was not such a harmonious peal in the whole of England; which implies that rings of bells were then common.”

3. The changes rung on a set of bells; in the strict sense a full peal of at least 5040 changes.
4. A small salmon; a grilse; a sewin.

verb

1. (intransitive)To sound with a peal or peals.

   “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep...”

   “To the church we'll swiftly steal, then our wedding bells will peal, / You can go as far you like with me, in my merry Oldsmobile”

   “The bell pealed 20 times, clanging into the dusk as Mr. Bush’s motorcade drove off.”

2. (transitive)To utter or sound loudly.

   “The warrior's name, / Though pealed and chimed on all the tongues of fame.”

3. (transitive)To assail with noise.

   “Nor was his ear less pealed.”

4. (intransitive)To resound; to echo.

   “And the whole air pealed / With the cheers of our men.”

5. (obsolete)To appeal.

   “To A baron of chekker þay mun hit pele'.”

name

1. A surname.