Note: these 'words' (valid or invalid) are all the permutations of the word meal. These words are obtained by scrambling the letters in meal.
Definitions and meaning of meal
meal
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /miːl/
(US) IPA(key): /mil/, [miəɫ]
Rhymes: -iːl
Etymology 1
From Middle Englishmel, from Old Englishmǣl(“measure, time, occasion, set time, time for eating, meal”), from Proto-West Germanic*māl, from Proto-Germanic*mēlą, from Proto-Indo-European*meh₁-(“to measure”).
Cognate with West Frisianmiel, Dutchmaal(“meal, time, occurrence”), GermanMal(“time”), Mahl(“meal”), Norwegian Bokmålmål(“meal”), Swedishmål(“meal”); and (from Proto-Indo-European) with Ancient Greekμέτρον(métron, “measure”), Latinmensus, Russianме́ра(méra, “measure”), Lithuanianmẽtas. Related to Old Englishmǣþ(“measure, degree, proportion”).
Noun
meal (countable and uncountable, pluralmeals)
(countable) Food that is prepared and eaten, usually at a specific time, and usually in a comparatively large quantity (as opposed to a snack).
c1450, Secreta Secretorumː
He that will cast meal upon meal is not able to have (a) long life.
c1500, The King and the Hermitː
I have been there and taken deal / And have had many (a) merry meal.
1535?, Dyfference Astronː
But above all things beware that thou eat not till thou feel thy stomach empty and that it hath made good digestion of the first meal.
1569, Fenton, Wondersː
Besides he was so fantastical and unruly in his appetites, that he used no common meats at his meals, but was fed with the combs of cocks, the tongues of peahens.
1640, Richard Brathwait, Ar't asleep Husband? A BOULSTER LECTURE, Stored with all variety of witty Jests, merry Tales, and other pleasant passages; extracted from the choycest Flowers of Phi∣losophy, Poesy, ancient and moderne Historyː
Give me but so many meals, and thou shalt find me one of the strongest Turkish males that ever English gennet bore.
1796, Robert Bage, Hermsprong: or, Man As He Is Notː
This letter was written whilst my hostess of the George was preparing the last meal I ever was to eat.
1835, Edgar Allan Poe, The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaallː
Puss, who seemed in a great measure recovered from her illness, now made a hearty meal of the dead bird, and then went to sleep with much apparent satisfaction.
2016, Melissa Clark, Consider This Permission to Eat Burrata for Dinner in The New York Timesː
In this recipe, I go even further, adding a robust salad to turn a lone cheese into a satisfying summer meal.
(countable) Food served or eaten as a repast.
a1450, The Macro Playsː
If thou wilt fare well at meat and meal, come and follow me.
(uncountable, informal) A break taken by a police officer in order to eat.
(obsolete) A time or an occasion.
The Lamentation of the Virgin Mary (MS. Cantab., Ff. ii., 38, fol. 47.), in: 1847, Thomas Wright (editor), The Chester Plays: A Collection of Mysteries founded upon scriptural Subjects, and formerly represented by the Trades of Chester at Whitsuntide, vol. II, p. 208f.:
Ye wolde wepe at every mele; But for my sone wepe ye never a dele.
You would weep at every meal, but for my son you never weep a deal.
a1400?-a1470?, in: 1999/2006, The Governance of England: Otherwise called The Difference between an Absolute and a Limited Monarchy. By Sir John Fortescue. A Revised Text edited with Introduction, Notes, and Appendices by Charles Plummer, p. 132:
[…] by occasion whereoff thai woll than at every mele groche with the kinge […]
[…] by occasion whereof they will, then at every meal, grouch with the king […]
a1450, Henry Lovelich, The History of the Holy Grailː
Which was to them a sorry meal.
a1450, Henry Lovelich, Merlinː
Also soon as the dragons together feal, betwixt them shall begin a sorry meal.
a1450, The York Playsː
What mean ye.. to make mourning at ilk a meal?
1481, William Caxton, Reynard the Foxː
I shall do late you have so much that ten of you should not eat it at one meal.
a1500, Alexander-Cassamus Fragmentː
Of all the day throughout, keep I no better meal than on her to think.
c1500, In A Chyrchː
Thou couth well weep at every meal.
Usage notes
In the fourth sense, meal is a fossil word and is usually found in the archaic/obsolete phrase "at every (ilk a) meal" meaning "on every occasion", compare also "at ilk a tide". It fell out of common usage in the late 15th century. Also, "at one meal" sometimes meant at a time, at once, at one time or in one go; see also Germanauf einmal(literally “upon one meal”). "To keep (the) meal" probably used to mean "to use/spend one's time". A "sorry meal" used to mean a "grim occasion" such as a fight, setback, mishap or some sort of other misfortune.
Meal, in the sense of "time" or "occasion", also survives in other set phrases, such as piecemeal(“one piece at a time”), footmeal(“one foot at a time”), heapmeal(“in large numbers”) etc.
Hyponyms
See also Thesaurus:meal
Derived terms
Translations
References
The Middle English Dictionary
Etymology 2
From Middle Englishmele, from Old Englishmelu(“meal, flour”), from Proto-West Germanic*melu, from Proto-Germanic*melwą(“meal, flour”), from Proto-Indo-European*melh₂-(“to grind, mill”).
Noun
meal (countable and uncountable, pluralmeals)
The coarse-ground edible part of various grains often used to feed animals; flour or a coarser blend than flour.
Coordinate term:flour
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
meal (third-person singular simple presentmeals, present participlemealing, simple past and past participlemealed)
(intransitive, obsolete) To yield or be plentiful in meal.
Etymology 3
Variation of mole (compare Scotsmail), from Middle Englishmole, mool, from Old Englishmāl, mǣl(“spot, mark, blemish”), from Proto-Germanic*mailą(“wrinkle, spot”), from Proto-Indo-European*mey-(“to soil”). More at mole.
Noun
meal (pluralmeals)
(UK dialectal) A speck or spot.
A part; a fragment; a portion.
Verb
meal (third-person singular simple presentmeals, present participlemealing, simple past and past participlemealed)
From Albanianmal, cognate to Aromanianmal and Romanianmal with the same origin.
Noun
mealn (pluralmealuri)
steep, scarped shore region
(figurative) boondocks
References
Irish
Verb
meal (present analyticmealann, future analyticmealfaidh, verbal nounmealadh, past participlemealta)
Alternative form of meil(“to grind”)
Conjugation
Mutation
Northern Kurdish
Noun
meal?
meaning
Romansch
Noun
mealm
(Sutsilvan)Alternative form of mel(“honey”)
Scottish Gaelic
Etymology
From Middle Irishmelaid(“to consume”), from Old Irishmelaid(“to grind”), from Proto-Celtic*meleti(“to grind”), from Proto-Indo-European*melh₂-. Doublet of meil.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /mjal̪ˠ/
Verb
meal (pastmheal, futuremealaidh, verbal nounmealadhormealtainn, past participlemealte)
enjoy
Synonyms
còrd ri
gabh tlachd ann
Derived terms
meal do naidheachd, meal ur naidheachd(“congratulations”)