bale

n. a large, heavy block of material like hay, straw, or cotton that is pressed together and tied with wire or string.

n. a large package of raw material, such as hay, cotton, or wool, compressed and bound by wire or twine for transport.

“The farmer stacked the heavy bales of hay in the barn before the rain started.”

“The shipping container was packed tightly with bales of raw cotton, each marked with its weight and origin for the textile factory.”

v. to use a bucket or container to throw water out of a boat.

v. to remove water from a vessel using a bucket or similar container. Often spelled 'bail' in American English.

“After the storm, we had to bale out the small boat to keep it from sinking.”

“The crew worked tirelessly to bale out the leaking dinghy, using every available bucket to keep pace with the rising water.”

British English

v. to press material together and tie it into a large block.

v. to compress and bind material into a bale for storage or shipping.

“The machine can bale hundreds of pounds of recycled paper in just a few minutes.”

“Modern agricultural machinery is designed to bale straw automatically as it moves across the harvested field.”

Technical

n. a very old word for great sadness, pain, or evil.

n. great evil, suffering, or woe. This sense is restricted to historical or highly poetic contexts.

“The old stories tell of a hero who brought an end to the kingdom's bale.”

“The poet spoke of a time of bale and darkness, when the land was plagued by famine and war.”

Archaic · Literary