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# pal

«pal» in Mova's school dictionary: **A friend** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 3 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a pal, pals); verb phrase (pal up, pal around — informal)

### meaning for a pupil

1) (informal) A friend. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pal/#m1)

2) «Pen pal» or «pen friend»: someone you write letters to, often in another country. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pal/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In everyday talk and stories it is a friendly word for a friend: «my old pal», «best pals». In school: pupils may have a «pen pal» abroad to practise writing. Sometimes «pal» is used in an annoyed way to a stranger: «Listen, pal…».

### examples

- He's my best pal. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pal/#x1)
- We have been pals since nursery. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pal/#x2)
- I write letters to my pen pal in Australia. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pal/#x3)
- The dog is my faithful pal. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pal/#x4)
- Come on, pal, let's go home. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pal/#x5)
- The two of them palled up on the first day of camp. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pal/#x6)

### note

Informal: fine in speech and friendly letters, but in formal writing use «friend». Plural: «pals». Similar words: «mate» (UK, Australia), «buddy» (US). Verb forms double the «l»: palled, palling.

### In the corpora

- [Her pals say, «Aw, he's pure cute» («pure» = really).](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/502-minding-the-little-ones-youre-the-oldest/23/)
- [«Double presents!» says her pal.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/516-divorce-and-two-homes/37/)
- [«Cheers, pal.» Liam-Jay doesn't need it that week, but he knows where to go.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/525-friends-who-get-it/25/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «pal» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/pal/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.