paul

plural pauls

1. An old Italian silver coin; a paolo.

   Shoes and boots are, generally speaking, better made at Florence than in any other part of Italy: the usual price charged for the former is eight pauls the pair; and for the latter from thirty to forty pauls.

   1836, Mariana Starke, Travels in Europe and in the Island of Sicily, page 569

plural pauls

1. archaicArchaic form of pawl (“mechanical device”).

   As soon as the horse again begins to move, the paul will take into the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, and restore to the fly-wheel its original speed.

   1850, The Mechanic's Magazine, Register, Journal and Gazette, page 517

plural pauls · alternative pal · alternative pawl

1. IndiahistoricalA small tent of various kinds.

1. biblicalIn the New Testament, the Christian Apostle to the Gentiles and the author of fourteen epistles, born Saul of Tarsus.

   Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 13:9

2. A male given name from Latin [in turn originating from the Bible], feminine equivalent Paula, Paulette, Paulina, and Pauline

   Toyota spokesman Paul Hogard said the automaker wants speedometers to be easy to read, so there’s value in placing the typical operating speed of American cars, 45 mph to 70 mph, he said, at the top of the speedometer, which is the easiest place on the speedometer for the driver to read.

   2022 September 10, Matt McFarland, “Why your car’s speedometer goes up to 160 mph (even when your car can’t)”, in CNN Business

   2 more examples

   'He will be christened Paul, my - Mrs Dombey - of course.' She feebly echoed, 'Of course,' or rather expressed it by the motion of her lips, and closed her eyes again. 'His father's name, Mrs Dombey, and his grandfather's! I wish his grandfather were alive this day! There is some inconvenience in the necessity of writing Junior,' said Mr Dombey, making a fictitious autograph on his knee; 'but it is merely of a private and personal complexion. It doesn't enter into the correspondence of the House. Its signature remains the same.'

   1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “Dombey and Son: Chapter 1”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC

   Primarily seen as a publicity vehicle for late-year releases, the awards show and its promoters have lately made pretensions to Oscar oracling: Jamie Foxx won the “breakthrough actor of the year” prize for “Ray” in 2004, after all, and Paul Haggis and his ensemble cast were honored for “Crash” four months before it won best picture.

   2006 October 18, David M. Halbfinger, “Hollywood Film Chain’s Latest Link”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 21 Jun 2025

3. A surname originating as a patronymic.

   In a Fox Business interview on Tuesday, Sen. Rand Paul (R–Ky.) alluded to the distinction between private and government responses to offensive speech, but his comments were ambiguous enough that an uncharitable viewer could easily interpret them as approval of the latter.

   2025 September 16, Jacob Sullum, “Brendan Carr and Ted Cruz Don't Think Charlie Kirk's Murder Justifies Speech Restrictions”, in Reason

4. A place name:
   1. An unincorporated community in Conecuh County, Alabama, United States, named after Paul the Apostle.
   2. A city in Minidoka County, Idaho, United States.
   3. An unincorporated community in Otoe County, Nebraska, United States.
   4. A village south of Newlyn in Penzance parish, south-west Cornwall, England (OS grid ref SW4627). The civil parish of Paul (abolished 2021) did not include the village in latter years, and is now included in St Buryan, Lamorna and Paul.
   5. A municipality on Santo Antão, Cape Verde.