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Bale vs Ream - What's the difference?

bale | ream |

Bale is a coordinate term of ream.


As nouns the difference between bale and ream

is that bale is evil, especially considered as an active force for destruction or death or bale can be (obsolete) a large fire, a conflagration or bonfire or bale can be a rounded bundle or package of goods in a cloth cover, and corded for storage or transportation while ream is cream; also, the creamlike froth on ale or other liquor; froth or foam in general or ream can be a bundle, package, or quantity of paper, nowadays usually containing 500 sheets.

As verbs the difference between bale and ream

is that bale is to wrap into a bale or bale can be (british|nautical) to remove water from a boat with buckets etc while ream is to cream; mantle; foam; froth or ream can be to enlarge a hole, especially using a reamer; to bore a hole wider.

bale

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) .

Noun

(-)
  • Evil, especially considered as an active force for destruction or death.
  • Suffering, woe, torment.
  • * 1596 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , VI.7:
    • That other swayne, like ashes deadly pale, / Lay in the lap of death, rewing his wretched bale .
    Derived terms
    * baleful

    Etymology 2

    Form (etyl) (which may have been the direct source for the English word).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A large fire, a conflagration or bonfire.
  • (archaic) A funeral pyre.
  • (archaic) A beacon-fire.
    • Derived terms
    * balefire * baleful

    Etymology 3

    Precise derivation uncertain: perhaps from (etyl) (m), (m), from , from (etyl); or perhaps from (etyl) (m), itself borrowed from (etyl).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A rounded bundle or package of goods in a cloth cover, and corded for storage or transportation.
  • A bundle of compressed wool or hay, compacted for shipping and handling.
  • A measurement of hay equal to 10 flakes. Approximately 70-90 lbs (32-41 kg).
  • A measurement of paper equal to 10 reams.
    • Derived terms
    * bale of dice
    Coordinate terms
    * (measurement of paper) bundle, quire, ream
    See also
    *

    Verb

    (bal)
  • To wrap into a bale.

    • Etymology 4

    Alternative spelling of (bail)

    Verb

    (bal)
  • (British, nautical) To remove water from a boat with buckets etc.

    • See also

    *

    Anagrams

    * English terms with multiple etymologies ----

    ream

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) reme, rem, from (etyl) . See also (l).

    Alternative forms

    * (l), (l)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Cream; also, the creamlike froth on ale or other liquor; froth or foam in general.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cream; mantle; foam; froth.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
    • a huge pewter measuring pot which, in the language of the hostess, reamed with excellent claret

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) remen, rimen, . More at (l).

    Alternative forms

    * (l), (l), (l)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To enlarge a hole, especially using a reamer; to bore a hole wider.
  • To shape or form, especially using a reamer.
  • To remove (material) by reaming.
  • To remove burrs and debris from a freshly bored hole.
  • (slang) To yell at or berate.
  • (slang, vulgar) To sexually penetrate in a rough and painful way, by analogy with definition 1.

    • Etymology 3

    From (etyl) reeme, from (etyl) raime, .

    Alternative forms

    * (l)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A bundle, package, or quantity of paper, nowadays usually containing 500 sheets.
  • An abstract large amount of something.
    • I can't go - I still have reams of work left.
    Coordinate terms
    * (quantity of paper) bale, bundle, quire

    See also

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----