Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense palls, past tense, past participle palled
1. verb [no cont]
If something palls, it becomes less interesting or less enjoyable after a period of time.
Already the allure of meals in restaurants had begun to pall. [VERB]
Synonyms: become boring, become dull, become tedious, become tiresome More Synonyms of pall
2. countable noun
If a pallof smoke hangs over a place, there is a thick cloud of smoke above it.
A pall of oily black smoke drifted over the cliff-top. [+ of]
Synonyms: cloud, shadow, veil, mantle More Synonyms of pall
3.
See cast a pall over sth
More Synonyms of pall
pall in British English1
(pɔːl)
noun
1.
a cloth covering, usually black, spread over a coffin or tomb
2.
a coffin, esp during the funeral ceremony
3.
a dark heavy covering; shroud
the clouds formed a pall over the sky
4.
a depressing or oppressive atmosphere
her bereavement cast a pall on the party
5. heraldry
an ordinary consisting of a Y-shaped bearing
6. Christianity
a.
a small square linen cloth with which the chalice is covered at the Eucharist
b. an archaic word for pallium (sense 2)
7. an obsolete word for cloak
verb
8. (transitive)
to cover or depress with a pall
Word origin
Old English pæll, from Latin: pallium
pall in British English2
(pɔːl)
verb
1. (intransitive; often foll byon)
to become or appear boring, insipid, or tiresome (to)
history classes palled on me
2.
to cloy or satiate, or become cloyed or satiated
Word origin
C14: variant of appal
pall in American English1
(pɔl)
verb intransitiveWord forms: palled or ˈpalling
1.
to become cloying, insipid, boring, wearisome, etc.
2.
to become satiated or bored
verb transitive
3.
to satiate, bore, or disgust
Word origin
ME pallen, aphetic for appallen, appall
pall in American English2
(pɔl)
noun
1.
a.
a cloth covering, typically black, draped over a coffin or catafalque
b.
an overspreading covering, as of dark clouds or black smoke, that cloaks or obscures in a gloomy, depressing way; also, an overspreading, pervasive atmosphere or spirit of gloom and depression
the sad news cast a pall on the proceedings
c. Obsolete
a cloak, mantle, or veil
2.
a light, square covering, usually of stiffened linen, put on top of the chalice in the Mass
verb transitiveWord forms: palled or ˈpalling
3.
to cover with a pall2 (sense 1)
Word origin
ME pal < OE pæll < L pallium, a cover (akin to palla, a robe, mantle)
Examples of 'pall' in a sentence
pall
Mumbles Head at the other side of the bay had disappeared under a grey pall of rain.
Secombe, Fred GOODBYE CURATE (2001)
Glancing across the road as he drove towards the coast the driver saw the white pall lying across the newly turned stubble and stared.
Barbara Erskine HIDING FROM THE LIGHT (2001)
Word lists with
pall
heraldry
In other languages
pall
British English: pall VERB
If something palls, it becomes less interesting or less enjoyable after a period of time.
Already the allure of meals in restaurants had begun to pall.
American English: pall
Brazilian Portuguese: perder a graça
Chinese: 使...失去兴趣
European Spanish: cansar
French: perdre de son attrait
German: an Reiz verlieren
Italian: venire a noia
Japanese: つまらなくなる
Korean: 시들해지다
European Portuguese: perder a graça
Latin American Spanish: cansar
1 (noun)
Definition
a dark heavy covering
A pall of black smoke drifted over the cliff-top.
Synonyms
cloud
shadow
The strike threw a dark shadow over the race.
veil
She swathed her face in a veil of decorative muslin.
mantle
The park looked grim under a mantle of soot and ash.
shroud
a parked car huddled under a shroud of grey snow
2 (noun)
Definition
a depressing atmosphere
His negative attitude cast a pall on the proceedings.
Synonyms
gloom
the deepening gloom over the economy
damp
dismay
melancholy
We watched the process with an air of melancholy.
damper
He put a damper on our hopes.
check
There is a check on the number of people allowed in the venue.
(verb)
Definition
to become boring or uninteresting, esp. by continuing for too long
The glamour of her job soon palled.
Synonyms
become boring
become dull
become tedious
become tiresome
jade
cloy
become wearisome
Additional synonyms
in the sense of check
Definition
a means to ensure against fraud or error
There is a check on the number of people allowed in the venue.
Synonyms
control,
limitation,
restraint,
constraint,
rein,
obstacle,
curb,
obstruction,
stoppage,
inhibition,
impediment,
hindrance,
damper
in the sense of damper
He put a damper on our hopes.
Synonyms
discouragement,
cloud,
chill,
curb,
restraint,
gloom,
cold water (informal),
pall
in the sense of mantle
Definition
anything that covers completely or envelops
The park looked grim under a mantle of soot and ash.
Synonyms
covering,
cover,
screen,
cloud,
curtain,
envelope,
blanket,
veil,
shroud,
canopy,
pall
Nearby words of
pall
pale
palette
palisade
pall
palliate
palliative
pallid
Synonyms of 'pall'
pall
Explore 'pall' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of melancholy
Definition
a sad thoughtful state of mind
We watched the process with an air of melancholy.
Synonyms
sadness,
depression,
misery,
gloom,
sorrow,
woe,
blues,
unhappiness,
despondency,
the hump (British, informal),
dejection,
low spirits,
gloominess,
pensiveness
in the sense of shadow
Definition
a threatening influence
The strike threw a dark shadow over the race.
Synonyms
cloud,
threat,
gloom,
sadness,
blight,
pall,
gloominess
in the sense of shroud
Definition
anything that hides things
a parked car huddled under a shroud of grey snow
Synonyms
covering,
veil,
mantle,
screen,
cloud,
pall
in the sense of veil
Definition
a piece of thin cloth, usually as part of a hat or headdress, used to cover a woman's face
She swathed her face in a veil of decorative muslin.