pale
gb/pˈeɪl/ us/pˈeɪl/
A2
Anglais
~ 2500
Sens
0 sens
adjective
A2
property
1
Having light or whitish skin color
When a person’s skin looks lighter than normal, often because they are sick, scared, or tired.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] looks pale
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'pale' with 'fair'; 'fair' refers to natural light skin tone, while 'pale' often suggests a change from the usual tone due to a condition.
Synonymes
wan (More literary and suggests weakness or exhaustion.)
Antonymes
flushed (Describes skin that is red, often from heat, embarrassment, or exertion.)
Collocations
look pale
|turn pale
|pale face
|pale complexion
Thèmes
health
|appearance
|daily life
|body
|emotions
Exemples
- She looked pale after hearing the bad news.
- His face turned pale when he saw the accident.
- You’re looking a bit pale—are you feeling alright?
- The child went pale with fear.
- He was pale from working all night without rest.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She looks pale today.
- He is pale because he is sick.
- My friend turns pale when he is scared.
- The boy is pale after the long trip.
adjective
A2
property
2
Light in color or shade
When a color is not strong or bright but soft and light.
Schéma d’usage :
pale [color]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use 'light' instead of 'pale'; 'light' is fine, but 'pale' often suggests even less intensity and sometimes a faded look.
Synonymes
pastel (Refers specifically to soft, light shades, often in design or art contexts.)
Antonymes
vivid (Describes colors that are very bright and strong.)
Collocations
pale blue
|pale yellow
|pale green
|pale light
Thèmes
colors
|art
|design
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- She wore a pale blue dress to the wedding.
- The walls were painted a pale yellow to create a warm feeling.
- A pale light came through the curtains.
- The sky turned a pale pink at dawn.
- He chose a pale green for the nursery.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I like pale blue shirts.
- The room is painted pale yellow.
- Her bag is pale pink.
- We saw pale green leaves in spring.
Verbe
B1
action
3
To lose normal skin color
When someone’s skin changes to a lighter color because they are afraid, sick, or shocked.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] pales
Synonymes
blanch (More formal or literary; also used metaphorically.)
Antonymes
flush (To become red in the face, often from heat or emotion.)
Collocations
pale visibly
|pale suddenly
Thèmes
health
|emotions
|body
Exemples
- She paled when she heard the explosion.
- He visibly paled at the sight of blood.
- I could see him pale as the news sank in.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She paled when she saw the snake.
- He paled after running too fast.
- I pale when I am scared.
Nom
literary
C1
entity
4
A boundary marked by stakes or fence
A fence made from wooden posts, or the area inside it (not common in daily speech).
Synonymes
enclosure (General term for an area that is fenced in.)
Collocations
beyond the pale
Thèmes
history
|geography
|space
|housing
Exemples
- In medieval times, towns were surrounded by a pale for protection.
- The cattle were kept within the pale.
- They lived beyond the pale of settlement.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The farm had a pale around it.
- A pale was built to keep animals inside.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
pale
API
GB/pˈeɪl/
US/pˈeɪl/
Syllabes et accentuation
pale (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (pale)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: pale
- Comparative: paler
- Superlative: palest
Noun
- Base: pale
- Plural: pales
Verb
- Base: pale
- 3rd Person Singular: pales
- Present Participle: paling
- Past: paled
Famille de mots
Expressions
beyond the pale
1/bɪjˈɔnd ðə pˈeɪl/
idiom
literary
Outside acceptable behavior or limits
Not acceptable; going too far in behavior or action.
Exemples
- His comments were offensive and beyond the pale.
- Cheating in an exam is beyond the pale.