Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PALE, n. [Sax. pal; G. pfahl; G. paal; Sw. påle; Dan. pæl; W. pawl; L. palus; coinciding with Eng. pole, as well as pale; Russ. palitz, a stick or club. It has the elements of L. pala, a spade or shovel, and the radical sense is probably an extended thing, or a shoot. Qu. Ar. نَبَلَ nabala, to dart. Class Bl. No. 18.]

1. A narrow board pointed or sharpened at one end, used in fencing or inclosing. This is with us more generally called a picket.
2. A pointed stake; hence to empale, – which see.
3. An inclosure; properly, that which incloses, like fence, limit; hence the space inclosed. He was born within the pale of the church; within the pale of Christianity. – Atterbury.
4. District; limited territory. – Clarendon.
5. In heraldry, [one of the greater ordinaries, being a broad perpendicular line. – E.H.B.]