Forms: 4–7 apall(e, appalle, 6 a-pawl, 7 appaule, 5–9 appall, 6–9 appal. Inflected appalled, appalling. [? a. OF. apalir, apallir, later ap(p)alir, to wax pale, be in consternation; languish, waste away; also trans. to make pale, etc. This derivation accounts satisfactorily for the senses, but presents difficulties as to the forms: the natural repr. of apalir would be apale, appale, actually found in 16th c., in the literal sense (see below); the earlier appall, which points, like all, ball, fall, etc. (with which it rhymes from the 14th c.), to an originally short a, may perhaps repr. the Fr. form apall-ir. But appall cannot be separated from the simple PALL v., for the relations of which to PALE v. and a. see that word. Both on etymological and phonetic grounds, the better spelling is appall, as in the derivatives.]
I. intr.
† 1. To wax pale or dim. Obs. Cf. APPALE 1.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 107. Of thought, which in min herte falleth, Whan it is night min hede appalleth.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems, 24. The night doth folowe, appallith all his chere, Whan Western wawis his stremys overclose.
† 2. fig. To wax faint or feeble in any characteristic quality; to fade, fail, decay. Obs.
c. 1315. Shoreham, 91. Ther [in heaven] … none swetnesse appalleth.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, I. i. (1544), 2 b. Their youth by ful great displeasaunce Gan to appall.
1494. Fabyan, V. lxxxiii. 61. The fayth of Criste began sore to apalle.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. vi. 26. Therewith her wrathfull courage gan appall.
† 3. To lose flavor, savor or briskness; to become flat or stale, as fermented liquor when left exposed to the air. Obs. Cf. PALL v.
1528. More, Heresyes, III. Wks. 1557, 226/1. If the salt once appalle, the woorde muste nedes waxe vnsauery.
1530. Palsgr., 433/1. I appalle, as drinke dothe or wyne, whan it leseth his colour, or ale whan it hath stande longe. Je appalys. This wyne is appaled all redy.
1568. (ed. 2), North, Diall Princes (1619), 622/2. He found the wine wel watered before that it had stood a pawling long.
† 4. To lose heart or resolution; become dismayed. Obs.
c. 1450. Vox Populi, 206, in Hazl., E. P. P., III. 275. Yf theise men appall, And lacke when you do call.
II. trans.
† 5. To make pale, to cause to lose or change color. Obs. rare. Cf. APPALE 4.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sqrs. T., 357. Hir liste nat apalled [v.r. appalled, appallid] for to be Ne on the morwe vnfeestlich for to se.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abuses, I. (1877). 95. [Adultery] appalleth the countenance, it dulleth the spirits.
† 6. fig. To cause to fade or cease to flourish; to dim, weaken, enfeeble, impair. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 2195. Whan his name apalled [v.r. appelled, -alled, apeyred] is for age.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Paraphr. Luke vi. 22. To appalle or derken your glorie.
1574. trans. Marlorat’s Apocalips, 26. Restored mee my strength whiche was appalled with feare.
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Hist. Irel., in Holinsh., II. 134/2. How often he preuailed against the enimie, and appalled their courages.
1616. [See APPALLED.]
† 7. To quell (anger, pride, etc.). Obs. rare.
1470. Harding, Chron., xxxvi. Wherfore the kyng his yre myght not apall.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. vii. (1641), 62/1. God beats his Dears, from birth to buriall, To make them know him, and their pride appall.
8. To cause the heart of (anyone) to sink; to dismay, shock, discomfit, terrify.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 1557, 646/2. Then wyll thys poynt as sore appall Tindal in thys debate.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turkes, 813. To appaule and discourage the minds … of the mercinarie souldiors.
1605. Shaks., Macb., II. iv. 59. A man … that dare looke on that which might appall the Diuell.
1768. Beattie, Minstrel, I. ii. Him, who ne’er listened to the voice of praise, The silence of neglect can ne’er appal.
1855. Milman, Lat. Chr. (1864), V. IX. viii. 403. The calmness of the heretics in the fire amazed, almost appalled, their judges.
b. absol.
a. 1631. Drayton, Tri. David, 86, in Farr’s S. P. (1847).
| His brazen armour gaue a iarring sound, | |
| Like a crackt bell, or vessel chanct to fall | |
| From some high place, which did like death apall. |
1827. Keble, Chr. Y., Trin. S. Thoughts that awe but not appal.
† c. refl. Obs.
1447. Bokenham, Lyvys of Seyntys, 165. But thus [Christ] seyd, Marye the not appalle.
