noun
- a wooden peg or spigot used to stop a hole in a cask or barrel
Usage: archaic; technical
Examples
- The cooper inserted a spail to seal the hole in the wine barrel.
- When the spail was removed, the ale flowed freely from the cask.
- The old tavern keeper kept spare spails behind the bar.
- A loose spail could ruin an entire batch of stored liquid.
- The wooden spail swelled when wet, creating a tight seal.