DictionaryAI

paling

USPAY-ling/ˈpeɪlɪŋ/

Pluralpalings

4 meanings of paling

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A pointed wooden stick used to build a fence.

    Like one of the many flat sticks that stand side by side to make a wooden fence.

    He nailed each paling to the rail to finish the fence.

    The old palings had rotted and started to lean.

    Similarpicket, stake, pale

    Note
  2. 2
    nouncountable
    A fence built from many pointed wooden sticks set in a row.

    Like a wall, but made of upright wooden sticks instead of bricks.

    A low paling marked where one yard ended and the next began.

    Old palings separated the neighboring farms for years.

    Similarfence, palisade, fencing

    Note
  3. 3
    verb
    Present participle of pale. Use this form for something losing its color as it happens.

    Her face kept paling as she heard the bad news.

    The evening light was paling over the hills.

    Note
  4. 4
    nounCaribbeancountable
    A fence built from sheets of rust-proof metal.

    Like a wall made of metal sheets standing up in a row.

    The yard was surrounded by a tall metal paling.

    Rust had begun to spot the old paling along the lane.

    Similarfence, hoarding

    Note

paling is a form of pale

pale, verb: To seem small or much less important next to something else. Full entry

Forms
palepales he/she/itpaling -ing formpaled past tense, past participle
Spelling
pale → paling: drop the e, add -ing

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of paling apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meaning 3

It comes from the word "pale" plus "-ing."

Meanings 1–2, 4

It comes from Middle English "palyng," from "pale" plus "-ing."