hale

Everyday

1. Hale means strong and healthy, usually said about an older person. tree →
2. (old) To hale someone means to pull or drag them, especially to court. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life the phrase «hale and hearty» means fit and well, often about grandparents. The verb is old-fashioned and appears in old books or the Bible: «haled into court». It tells the reader a person is in good health despite age.

Examples

• Grandpa is still hale and hearty at ninety. tree →
• The old farmer looked hale and strong. tree →
• After the holiday, everyone came back hale and well. tree →
• (old) The thief was haled before the judge. tree →
• My nan is hale enough to walk five miles a day. tree →
• Looking out, she saw the lad hale and hearty standing before her, and grew whiter than ever with rage and spite. tree →

Note

Mostly used in «hale and hearty». It sounds the same as «hail» (ice from the sky, or to call out to), but they are different words: homophones.