Definition of "peal"

Whether thoſe peales of praiſe be his or no.

c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene ii], page 174, column 2

a fair peal of artillery

a. 1628 (date written), John Hayward, The Life, and Raigne of King Edward the Sixt, London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press, and J. Lichfield at Oxford?] for Iohn Partridge, […], published 1630

and the deep thunder, peal on peal, afar

1816, Lord Byron, “Canto III”, in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. Canto the Third, London: Printed for John Murray, […], stanza XXV

Mrs. Green burst out into one of those peals so peculiarly British.

1828, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter XVI, in Pelham; or, The Adventures of a Gentleman. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], page 112

And, falling on a bench, he laughed until the tears ran down his cheeks, I could not help joining; and we laughed together, peal after peal […]

1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London, Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883

And she has half a mind to weep again now, for Jack Brotherhood, as the front doorbell sounds through the house like a bugle call, three short peals as ever.

1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy

Ingulphus, the chronicler of Croyland Abbey, mentions that a peal of seven bells was put up there in the tenth century, and that there was not such a harmonious peal in the whole of England; which implies that rings of bells were then common.

1908, H. B. Walters, chapter 1, in Church Bells‎

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep...

1864, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Christmas Bells

To the church we'll swiftly steal, then our wedding bells will peal, / You can go as far you like with me, in my merry Oldsmobile

1939 , “In My Merry Oldsmobile”, Vincent P. Bryan (lyrics), Gus Edwards (music), performed by Bing Crosby

The bell pealed 20 times, clanging into the dusk as Mr. Bush’s motorcade drove off.

2006 September 11, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, “Bush Mourns 9/11 at Ground Zero as N.Y. Remembers”, in The New York Times‎

The warrior's name, / Though pealed and chimed on all the tongues of fame.

1807, Joel Barlow, The Columbiad

Nor was his ear less pealed.

1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,

And the whole air pealed / With the cheers of our men.

1863, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Cumberland

To A baron of chekker þay mun hit pele'.

c. 1450, The Boke of Curtasye