Obs. Also 3 wal, 4 walle. [f. WALE sb.2] Used as a general laudatory expression: Chosen; choice, select; excellent, noble, goodly.
a. of a person, his attributes, actions, etc.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 888. Sodomes king in kinge dale, Mette abram wið feres wale.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1010. Bot ȝet I wot þat Wawen & þe wale burde Such comfort of her compaynye caȝten to-geder.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 294. ‘Þan will I,’ quod þe wale qwene.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1329. The Troiens … blody beronyn, Wyde woundes & wete of hor wale dyntes.
a. 1500. Bernard, de cura rei fam., etc. (E.E.T.S.), iii. 149. And wander in A winter tyme wyth full wale knychtis.
1515. Scottish Field, 385, in Chetham Misc. (1856). It is a losse to the lande,… For his witte and his wisedome, And his wale deedes.
1790. J. Fisher, Poems, 102. Ae simmer e’en baith wale an’ trig,… doun the rig A lad cam’ to the Fitman-brig.
absol. a. 1310. in Wright, Lyric P., xi. 38. A wayle whyt as whalles bon.
b. of a thing.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 3635. Bokes he wrot of lore wal, Hu ðis folc hem riȝt leden sal.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1716. Bifore þe barounz has hom broȝt, & byrled þerinne [sc. the holy vessels] Wale wyne to þy wenches.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 741. By wytt of the watyre-mene of the wale ythez, ffrekes one the forestayne fakene theire coblez.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 75. Þan was a wardan ware oute in þe wale stremys Of all þe naue & þe note.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 694. She went from þat worthy into a wale chambur. Ibid., 1943. He … wound vp full wightly all his wale Ancres.
