1
- light in colour or having little colour（颜色）浅的; 淡的：
choose pale floral patterns for walls.
选用浅色花格装饰墙壁。
1.1
- (of a person's face or complexion) having less colour than usual, typically as a result of shock, fear, or ill health（脸, 脸色）苍白的：
she looked pale and drawn.
她看上去苍白憔悴。
1.2
- figurative feeble and unimpressive〈喻〉软弱的; 淡薄的; 较差的：
it is a pale imitation of continental cheeses.
这是欧洲奶酪的一种不太成功的仿制品。
no obj.
1
- become pale in one's face from shock or fear脸因震惊、害怕而失色; 发白：
I paled at the thought of what she might say.
想到她可能会说什么我顿时脸色发白。
2
- seem less impressive or important显得逊色; 相形失色：
all else pales by comparison
相比之下其他的都显得逊色
his own problems paled into insignificance compared to the plight of this child.
与这个孩子的困境相比, 他自己的问题显得微不足道。
派生词
palely
adverbpaleness
nounpalish
adjective词源
Middle English: from Old French pale, from Latin pallidus; the verb is from Old French palir.
1
- a wooden stake or post used as an upright along with others to form a fence（做桩篱用的）板条; 尖桩。
1.1
- figurative a boundary〈喻〉界限; 范围：
bring these things back within the pale of decency.
使这些东西重新显得体面庄重。
1.2
- archaic or historical an area within determined bounds, or subject to a particular jurisdiction〈古或史〉管区, 辖区。
2
3
- Heraldry a broad vertical stripe down the middle of a shield【纹章】（盾形中部的）垂直宽条。
短语
beyond the pale
- outside the bounds of acceptable behaviour越轨的; 为社会所不容的：
the language my father used was beyond the pale.
我父亲的话超出了规范。
in pale
- Heraldry arranged vertically【纹章】竖置的。
per pale
- Heraldry divided by a vertical line【纹章】被一直条一分为二的。
词源
Middle English: from Old French pal, from Latin palus 'stake'.