Wale

noun
1.
a streak, stripe, or ridge produced on the skin by the stroke of a rod or whip; welt.
2.
the vertical rib in knit goods or a chain of loops running lengthwise in knit fabric (opposed to course).
3.
the texture or weave of a fabric.
4.
Nautical.

any of certain strakes of thick outside planking on the sides of a wooden ship.
gunwale.

5.
Also called breast timber, ranger, waling. Engineering, Building Trades. a horizontal timber or other support for reinforcing various upright members, as sheet piling or concrete form boards, or for retaining earth at the edge of an excavation.
6.
a ridge on the outside of a horse collar.
verb (used with object), waled, waling.
7.
to mark with wales.
8.
to weave with wales.
9.
Engineering, Building Trades. to reinforce or fasten with a wale or wales.
noun
1.
something that is selected as the best; choice.
verb (used with object), waled, waling.
2.
to choose; select.
noun
1.
the raised mark left on the skin after the stroke of a rod or whip
2.

the weave or texture of a fabric, such as the ribs in corduroy
a vertical row of stitches in knitting Compare course (sense 14)

3.
(nautical)

a ridge of planking along the rail of a ship
See gunwale

verb (transitive)
4.
to raise a wale or wales on by striking
5.
to weave with a wale
noun
1.
a choice
2.
anything chosen as the best
adjective
3.
choice
verb
4.
(transitive) to choose

wale (wāl)
n.
A mark raised on the skin, as by a whip; a weal or welt. v. waled, wal·ing, wales
To raise marks on the skin, as by whipping.