Paling

Part of speech: verb, adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈpeɪlɪŋ/

Definitions

1. A boundary structure often constructed from wooden slats provides security or aesthetics in landscape design
2. A decorative barrier built from upright materials can serve to delineate properties or enhance outdoor aesthetics
3. A type of fencing made from vertical wooden boards serves to enclose areas while adding visual interest to gardens or yards

Etymology: "Paling" is the present participle and gerund of "pale", used as a verb, and it is a noun-like form that carries the sense of a fence made of upright stakes. The verb "pale" itself came into English from Old French "pal", which comes from Latin "palus", meaning a stake or post. So the underlying idea is simply a row of sharpened posts driven into the ground. The "-ing" ending here is the ordinary English suffix that turns a verb into a participle or a noun for the action or result of that action. Middle English had "palyng" and "palynge" with the same construction, so the word has been built this way for centuries. Its meaning settled on the fence itself, while the verb "to pale" kept the sense of fencing in or enclosing.

Synonyms: fading, lightening, dimming, waning, pallid

Antonyms: darkening, intensifying, brightening, bolding, vivid