vail

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

vail, n. & v. t. 

 Same as Veil.  [1913 Webster]

vail, n. [Aphetic form of avail, n.].

•  Avails; profit; return; proceeds.  [1913 Webster]

  "My house is as 'twere the cave where the young outlaw hoards the stolen vails of his occupation."  [1913 Webster]
•  An unexpected gain or acquisition; a casual advantage or benefit; a windfall.  [1913 Webster]
•  Money given to servants by visitors; a gratuity; -- usually in the plural.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]

vail, v. t. [Aphetic form of avale. See Avale, Vale.].

•  To let fall; to allow or cause to sink.  [1913 Webster]

  "Vail your regard
  Upon a wronged, I would fain have said, a maid!"  [1913 Webster]
•  To lower, or take off, in token of inferiority, reverence, submission, or the like.  [1913 Webster]

  "France must vail her lofty-plumed crest!"  [1913 Webster]

  "Without vailing his bonnet or testifying any reverence for the alleged sanctity of the relic."  [1913 Webster]

vail, v. i. 

 To yield or recede; to give place; to show respect by yielding, uncovering, or the like.  [1913 Webster]
"Thy convenience must vail to thy neighbor's necessity."  [1913 Webster]

vail, n. 

 Submission; decline; descent.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

vail, v. archaic 1 tr. lower or doff (one's plumes, pride, crown, etc.) esp. in token of submission.
2 intr. yield; give place; remove one's hat as a sign of respect etc.

Etymology

ME f. obs. avale f. OF avaler to lower f. a val down, f. val VALE(1)

ROGET THESAURUS

vail

Giving

N giving, bestowal, bestowment, donation, presentation, presentment, accordance, concession, delivery, consignment, dispensation, communication, endowment, investment, investiture, award, almsgiving, charity, liberality, generosity, gift, donation, present, cadeau, fairing, free gift, boon, favor, benefaction, grant, offering, oblation, sacrifice, immolation, lagniappe, pilon, grace, act of grace, bonus, allowance, contribution, subscription, subsidy, tribute, subvention, bequest, legacy, devise, will, dotation, dot, appanage, voluntary settlement, voluntary conveyance, amortization, alms, largess, bounty, dole, sportule, donative, help, oblation, offertory, honorarium, gratuity, Peter pence, sportula, Christmas box, Easter offering, vail, douceur, drink money, pourboire, trinkgeld, bakshish, fee, consideration, bribe, bait, ground bait, peace offering, handsel, boodle, graft, grease, blat, giver, grantor, donor, feoffer, settlor, giving, given, allowed, allowable, concessional, communicable, charitable, eleemosynary, sportulary, tributary, gratis, donative, auctor pretiosa facit, ex dono, res est ingeniosa dare.

Reward

N reward, recompense, remuneration, meed, guerdon, reguerdon, price, indemnity, indemnification, quittance, compensation, reparation, redress, satisfaction, reckoning, acknowledgment, requital, amends, sop, atonement, retribution, consideration, return, quid pro quo, salvage, perquisite, vail, douceur, bribe, hush money, smart money, blackmail, extortion, carcelage, solatium, allowance, salary, stipend, wages, compensation, pay, payment, emolument, tribute, batta, shot, scot, bonus, premium, tip, fee, honorarium, hire, dasturi, dustoori, mileage, crown, remunerative, remuneratory, munerary, compensatory, retributive, reparatory, rewarding, satisfactory, fideli certa merces, honor virtutis praemium, tibi seris tibi metis.