Nathan hale

[heyl] /heɪl/

noun
1.
Edward Everett, 1822–1909, U.S. clergyman and author.
2.
George Ellery
[el-uh-ree] /ˈɛl ə ri/ (Show IPA), 1868–1938, U.S. astronomer.
3.
Sir Matthew, 1609–76, British jurist: Lord Chief Justice 1671–76.
4.
Nathan, 1755–76, American soldier hanged as a spy by the British during the American Revolution.
5.
Sarah Josepha
[joh-see-fuh] /dʒoʊˈsi fə/ (Show IPA), 1788–1879, U.S. editor and author.
/heɪl/
adjective
1.
healthy and robust (esp in the phrase hale and hearty)
2.
(Scot & Northern English, dialect) whole
/heɪl/
verb
1.
(transitive) to pull or drag; haul
/heɪl/
noun
1.
George Ellery. 1868–1938, US astronomer: undertook research into sunspots and invented the spectroheliograph
2.
Sir Matthew. 1609–76, English judge and scholar; Lord Chief Justice (1671–76)
adj.

“healthy,” Old English hal “healthy, entire, uninjured” (see health). The Scottish and northern English form of whole; it was given a literary sense of “free from infirmity” (1734). Related: Haleness.
v.

c.1200, “drag; summon,” in Middle English used of arrows, bowstrings, reins, anchors, from Old French haler “to pull, haul” (12c.), from a Germanic source, perhaps Frankish *halon or Old Dutch halen; probably also from Old English geholian “obtain” (see haul). Figurative sense of “to draw (someone) from one condition to another” is late 14c. Related: Haled; haling.

character
An asterisk (“*”, see also splat, ASCII). Notionally, from “I regret that I have only one asterisk for my country!” (“life to give” -> “ass to risk” -> “asterisk”), a misquote of the famous remark uttered by Nathan Hale just before he was hanged. Hale was a (failed) spy for the rebels in the American War of Independence.
[Jargon File]
(1996-09-22)