# pal

/ˈpæɫ/ (US) · /pˈæl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pal
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a friend

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a friend or a person you spend time with.

For teachers: a companion or friend. Informal in register; common in British and Australian English.

- We have been best pals since we started primary school together.
- He went for a few drinks with his old school pals to celebrate his recent promotion.

### 2. hostile address

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a word used to address a man, often when the speaker is being unfriendly or angry.

For teachers: an informal term of address for a male, frequently employed ironically to signal hostility or a warning.

- Listen, pal, I do not want any trouble in my shop.
- The bouncer stepped forward and told the rowdy customer to move along, pal, before things got physical.

### 5. to spend time together

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to spend time with someone as a friend.

For teachers: to associate as friends; typically used with 'up' or 'around'.

- The two boys palled up quickly during their first week at summer camp.
- He spent most of the summer palling around with the local musicians, hoping to learn some of their techniques.

Usage: Usually appears as 'pal up' or 'pal around'.

## Examples

- We have been best pals since we were kids.
- He went down to the local pub to grab a drink with a few old school pals.
- While the two politicians are fierce rivals on the debate stage, they have remained close personal pals behind the scenes for over thirty years.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.