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Vail
Definitions
- 1 A surname. countable, uncountable
- 2 A placename; A census-designated place in Arizona, United States. countable, uncountable
- 3 A placename; A town in Colorado, United States. countable, uncountable
- 4 A placename; A city in Iowa, United States. countable, uncountable
- 1 Profit; return; proceeds. obsolete
"My house is as t’were the Caue, where the yong Out-lawe hoords the stolne vayles of his occupation […]"
- 2 Submission. obsolete
- 3 Archaic form of veil. alt-of, archaic
"Ha! I see Venus’ transit now;—lo! a new planet there;—and behind all, an infinite starry nebulousness, as if thy being were backgrounded by some spangled vail of mystery."
- 4 Money given to servants by visitors; a gratuity; also vale. in-plural, obsolete
"Do you remember, how many Rich Gowns and Petticoats, how many lac’d Pinners, Hoods, Scarfs, and Nightrails, I have given you, since the three Years you have serv’d me, together with many other Vails, Perquisites, and Profits you have enjoy’d in my Service?"
- 5 Misspelling of veil. alt-of, misspelling
- 1 To lower, let fall; to allow or cause to sink. obsolete, transitive
"Then let them vale a bonet of their proud ſayle,"
- 2 Archaic form of veil. alt-of, archaic
- 3 To lower or “dip” a carried flag or banner in a salute by a forward reducing of the angle of the pike/flagstaff with respect to the ground; in extreme instances, as when saluting a monarch, both the banner and the finial of the pike are allowed to rest upon the ground. transitive
- 4 Misspelling of veil. alt-of, misspelling
- 5 To lower a sail, in salute or otherwise. intransitive, obsolete
"Both we will walke vpon the loftie cliffes, And Chriſtian Merchants that with Ruſſian ſtems Plow vp huge furrowes in the Caſpian ſea, Shall vaile to vs, as Lords of al the Lake."
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- 6 To remove as a sign of deference, as a hat. obsolete, transitive
"[…] Now the time is come That France must vail her lofty-plumed crest And let her head fall into England’s lap."
- 7 To pay homage, bow, submit, defer (to someone or something); to yield, give way (to something). intransitive, obsolete
"She would with rich and constant pen Vail to her mistress Dian;"
Etymology
From Middle English vayle, from Old French vail, from valoir (“to be worth”), from Latin valeō (“I am worth”).
From Middle English valen; either from Anglo-Norman valer or a clipping of avalen. Compare avale.
From Middle English valen; either from Anglo-Norman valer or a clipping of avalen. Compare avale.
The town in Colorado was named after Vail Pass, which in turn was named after highway engineer Charles Vail. The surname likely comes from the obsolete term vail, meaning "submission", of Anglo-Norman origin.
See also for "vail"
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