cail

See also: Cail, càil, and cáil

English

Alternative forms

• cale, kail, kale

Etymology

Unknown. Perhaps from or related to Middle English kayl (“a blow, stroke”). Compare Middle English quale (“death, destruction”), from Old English cwalu (“a quelling with weapons, torment, a violent death, slaughter, destruction”).

Verb

cail (third-person singular simple present cails, present participle cailing, simple past and past participle cailed)

1. (dialectal) To throw, pelt; to throw weakly.
2. (dialectal, of a cart) To tilt up or turn over in order to discharge a load.
3. (dialectal) To move awkwardly or uncertainly; to gambol, kick out one's heels like a colt.

Derived terms

• cail along

Old French

Alternative forms

• quail, cai, cay, gué, kai, kay

Etymology

From Gaulish cagiíum (“enclosure”), from Proto-Celtic *kagyom (“pen, enclosure”) (compare Welsh cae (“hedge”)).

Noun

cail oblique singular, m (oblique plural cauz or cailz, nominative singular cauz or cailz, nominative plural cail)

1. quay; wharf

Descendants

• French: quai
• → Middle English: keye
  • English: quai
  • → Welsh: cei
• → Irish: cé