See also: Pail, päil, Päil, and pa'il

English

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A pail (def 1)

Etymology

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From Middle English payle (bucket, pail, milking pail), of uncertain origin.

Likely from Old English pæġel (wine vessel, container for liquids, pail; a liquid measure), from Proto-West Germanic *pagil, from Proto-Indo-European *bak- (peg, club), equivalent to peg +‎ -le. Compare German Pegel (level of liquid, level), Middle Dutch pegel (half-pint), Danish pægl (half-pint).

Alternatively from Old French paielle (frying pan, warming pan; a liquid measure), from Latin patella (small pan, shallow dish, platter), diminutive of patina (broad shallow pan, stewpan). Perhaps a conflation of both.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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pail (plural pails)

  1. A vessel of wood, tin, plastic, etc., usually cylindrical and having a handle -- used especially for carrying liquids, for example water or milk; a bucket (sometimes with a cover).
    Synonym: bucket
    The milkmaid carried a pail of milk in each hand.
  2. (In technical use) A closed (covered) cylindrical shipping container.

Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Kashubian: pil (Canada, United States)

Translations

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Anagrams

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Dalmatian

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Etymology

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From Latin pilus.

Noun

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pail m

  1. (body) hair

See also

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