Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PALE, a. [Fr. pale, palir; L. palleo, pallidus; Russ. bielie, white; bieliju, to whiten. It is probably allied to Sax. falewe, fealo, fallow, pale red or yellow, D. vaal, from the sense of failing, withering; W. pallu, to fail. See Class Bl, No. 6, 7, 13, 18.]

1. White or whitish; wan; deficient in color; not ruddy or fresh of color; as, a pale face or skin; pale cheeks. We say also, a pale red, a pale blue, that is, a whitish red or blue. Pale is not precisely synonymous with white, as it usually denotes what we call wan, a darkish dun white.
2. Not bright; not shining; of a faint luster; dim; as, the pale light of the moon. The night, methinks, is but the daylight sick; / It looks a little paler. – Shak.