Definition

1. Noun:

   • A loud, deep, prolonged sound: A "peal" is a long, loud, often resonant sound, typically produced by large bells, thunder, or laughter.
   • A set of tuned bells: In a specific sense, a "peal" can refer to a set of bells, especially a set that is tuned to a musical scale.

2. Verb:

   • To sound loudly and sonorously: To "peal" means to ring out with a loud, deep, and resonant sound, like bells or thunder.
   • To ring recurrently: To sound in a repeated, often celebratory, manner.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • A sudden peal of thunder made everyone jump.
  • The church bells rang out in a joyful peal.
  • Her joke was followed by a peal of laughter from the audience.

• Verb:

  • The cathedral bells pealed to mark the new year.
  • Thunder pealed across the valley.
  • The victorious team's arrival was celebrated as church bells pealed throughout the town.

Advanced Usage

• "To ring a peal": To cause bells to sound in a full, resonant sequence.

  • The bell-ringers rang a peal to celebrate the wedding.

• "A peal of bells": Specifically refers to the sound or sequence produced by a set of bells.

  • We heard a magnificent peal of bells from the old tower.

Variants and Related Words

• Pealing (noun/adj): The act or sound of ringing loudly; resounding.
  • The pealing of the bells could be heard for miles.

Synonyms

• Noun: Clang, chime, ring, toll, roar (for thunder), boom.
• Verb: Ring, chime, toll, resound, reverberate, clang.

Related Phrases

• Peal out: To sound or ring out loudly and clearly. (This is a specific use of the verb 'peal').
  • The trumpet pealed out across the square.

Related Idioms

• A peal of laughter: A loud, unrestrained burst of laughter.
  • His funny story elicited a peal of laughter from the children.

Noun

1. a deep prolonged sound (as of thunder or large bells)

Verb

1. sound loudly and sonorously
   • the bells rang
2. ring recurrently
   • bells were pealing