Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Grail

Grail

,
Noun.
[OF.
greel
, LL.
gradale.
See
Gradual
,
Noun.
]
A book of offices in the Roman Catholic Church; a gradual.
[Obs.]
T. Warton.
Such as antiphonals, missals,
grails
, processionals, etc.
Strype.

Grail

,
Noun.
[OF.
graal
,
greal
, greet, F.
graal
,
gréal
, LL.
gradalis
,
gradale
, prob. derived fr. L.
crater
bowl, mixing vessel, Gr.
κρατήρ
. See
Crater.
]
A broad, open dish; a chalice; – only used of the
Holy Grail
.
☞The Holy Grail, according to some legends of the Middle Ages, was the cup used by our Savior in dispensing the wine at the last supper; and according to others, the platter on which the paschal lamb was served at the last Passover observed by our Lord. This cup, according to the legend, if appoached by any but a perfectly pure and holy person, would be borne away and vanish from the sight. The quest of the Holy Grail was to be undertaken only by a knight who was perfectly chaste in thought, word, and act.

Grail

,
Noun.
[F.
grêle
hail, from
grés
grit, OHG.
griex
,
grioz
, G.
gries
, gravel, grit. See
Grit.
]
Small particles of earth; gravel.
[Obs.]
Lying down upon the sandy
grail.
Spenser.

Grail

(grāl)
,
Noun.
[Cf. OF.
graite
slender, F.
grête
.]
One of the small feathers of a hawk.

Webster 1828 Edition


Grail

GRAIL

,
Noun.
[L. graduale.] A book of offices in the Romish church.

GRAIL

,
Noun.
Small particles of any kind.

Definition 2024


grail

grail

See also: GRAIL

English

Noun

grail (plural grails)

  1. The Holy Grail.
  2. The object of an extended or difficult quest.
    Becoming an astronaut was his grail.

Etymology 2

From Old French grael, ultimately from Latin graduale.

Noun

grail (plural grails)

  1. A book of offices in the Roman Catholic Church; a gradual.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of T. Warton to this entry?)
    • Strype
      antiphonals, missals, grails, processionals, etc.

Etymology 3

Origin uncertain; perhaps a reduced form of gravel.

Noun

grail (uncountable)

  1. (poetic) Small particles of earth; gravel.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.vii:
      Hereof this gentle knight vnweeting was, / And lying downe vpon the sandie graile, / Drunke of the streame, as cleare as cristall glas [...].

Etymology 4

Compare Old French graite slender.

Noun

grail (plural grails)

  1. One of the small feathers of a hawk.

Anagrams