Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MAIL, n.¹ [Fr. maille, a stitch in knitting, a mail; Sp. malla, a mesh, net-work, a coat of mail; Port. id. and a spot; It. maglia and camaglio; Arm. mailh; D. maal; W. magyl, a knot, a mesh; maglu, to knit, to entangle, to entrap, to form meshes. The sense of spot, which occurs in the French and Portuguese, indicates this word to be from the root of L. macula, and the Welsh words prove it to be contracted from magel.]

1. A coat of steel net-work, formerly worn for defending the body against swords, poniards, &c. The mail was of two sorts, chain and plate mail; the former consisting of iron rings, each having four others inserted into it; the latter consisting of a number of small lamins of metal, laid over one another like the scales of a fish, and sewed down to a strong linen or leathern jacket. Cyc.
2. Armor; that which defends the body. We strip the lobster of his scarlet mail. Gay. We read also of shirts of mail and gloves of mail.
3. In ships, a square machine composed of rings interwoven, like net-work, used for rubbing off the loose hemp on lines and white cordage.
4. A rent. [Sax. mal.] Also, a spot. [Obs.]