(wāl) noun
1. A stripe or ridge made on living flesh by a rod, whip, or stick; a wheal.
2. Naut. One of certain strakes of outer planking running fore and aft on a vessel: the channel wales.
3. A ridge or rib on the surface of cloth; hence texture; grain.
—v.t. waled, wal·ing
1. To raise wales or stripes on by striking, as with a lash; flog; beat.
2. To manufacture, as cloth, with a ridge or rib.
3. To weave, as wickerwork, with several rods together.
4. To protect, fasten, or hold with wales. ♦ Homophone: wail. [OE walu]

(wāl) Dial. & Scot. noun
A choice or preference of one thing from among others; also, the best; the cream.
—adjective Well–selected; choice.
—v.t. waled, wal·ing To choose; select; hence, to woo. ♦ Homophone: wail. [<ON val choice]