bole
Any of several varieties of friable earthy clay, usually coloured red by iron oxide, and composed essentially of hydrous silicates of alumina, or more rarely of magnesia.
Noun
- Any of several varieties of friable earthy clay, usually coloured red by iron oxide, and composed essentially of hydrous silicates of alumina, or more rarely of magnesia.
- Good Iznik has strong colours well-contained within their outlines and a very clean, clear white. The red colour, made with Armenian bole (an earthy clay) should be thick and proud of the surface. - 2018 April 14, “8...
- The shade of reddish brown which resembles this clay.
- A bolus; a dose.
- […]or else[…]the churches were very incurious to swallow such a bole, if no pretension could have been reasonably made for their justification. - 1649, Jeremy Taylor, “An Apology for Authorized and Set Forms of Liturgy...
Origin
From Ancient Greek βῶλος (bôlos, “clod or lump of earth”): compare French bol. Doublet of bolus.
Forms
Derived
Noun Scotland
- An aperture with a shutter in the wall of a house, to admit air or light.
- "Open the bole," said the old woman firmly and hastily to her daughter-in-law, “open the bole wi' speed, that I may see if this be the right Lord Geraldin[…]. - 1816, Walter Scott, The Antiquary, Adam and Charles Black,...
- A small closet.
Forms
Noun Entry 3
- The trunk or stem of a tree.
- Enormous elm-tree boles did stoop and lean / Upon the dusky brushwood underneath / Their broad curved branches, fledged with clearest green, / New from its silken sheath. - 1842, Alfred Tennyson, “A Dream of Fair...
- A fine powder filled the air and caressed the cheek with a tingle in its touch, and the black boles of the trees showed up in a light that seemed to come from below. - 1908 October, Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the...
Origin
From Middle English bole, from Old Norse bolr, akin to Danish bul and German Bohle (“plank”). See also bulwark (“defensive wall”).
Forms
Derived
Noun alt of, alternative
- Alternative form of boll (old unit of measure).
- Take then good Barley newly thrashed and well purged from the Chaff, and put thereof eight Boles, that is about ſix English Quarters, in a Stone - trough - 1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way...