paling

[ pey-ling ]

noun

1. Also called paling fence. picket fence.
2. a pale or picket for a fence.
3. pales pale collectively.
4. the act of building a fence with pales. pale.

paling

/ ˈpeɪlɪŋ /

noun

1. a fence made of pales
2. pales collectively
3. a single pale
4. the act of erecting pales

Word History and Origins

Origin of paling¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; pale ², -ing ¹

Example Sentences

He looked at Anya, face paling, then back at the torchbearer.

From Literature

What, you might ask, prompted this remark from the paling former personality?

From Salon

No medicine is risk-free, but complications are rare and most are not serious, paling in comparison with the potential harm caused by Covid, even to younger people.

From BBC

I absolutely must go in by myself, though I hate being stuck up in the barouche-landau without a companion; but Augusta, I believe, with her own good-will, would never stir beyond the park paling.’

From Literature

“Yes, well, I meant, ah, more for personal emergencies,” Gwystyl explained, paling.

From Literature

Related Words

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