wale/whale/wail

wale (wāl)

Noun

• A mark raised on the skin, as by a whip; a weal or welt.
• One of the parallel ribs or ridges in the surface of a fabric such as corduroy.
• The texture or weave of such a fabric: a wide wale.

Verb. Transitive

• To raise marks on (the skin), as by whipping.

whale (hwāl, wāl)

Noun

• Any of various marine mammals of the order Cetacea, having the general shape of a fish with forelimbs modified to form flippers, a tail with horizontal flukes, and one or two blowholes for breathing, especially one of the very large species as distinguished from the smaller dolphins and porpoises.
• Informal. An impressive example: a whale of a story.

Verb. Intransitive

• To engage in the hunting of whales.

wail (wāl)

Noun

• A long, loud, high-pitched cry, as of grief or pain.
• A long, loud, high-pitched sound: the wail of a siren.
• A loud, bitter protest: A wail of misery went up when new parking restrictions were announced.

Verb. Intransitive

• To grieve or protest loudly and bitterly; lament.
• To make a prolonged, high-pitched sound suggestive of a cry: The wind wailed through the trees.

Verb. Transitive

• To lament over; bewail.