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n. 1. A usually round pin that fits tightly into a corresponding hole to fasten or align two adjacent pieces. 2. A piece of wood driven into a wall to act as an anchor for nails. tr.v. dow·eled, dow·el·ing, dow·els also dow·elled or dow·el·ling 1. To fasten or align with dowels: table legs that are doweled to the top. 2. To equip with dowels. [Middle English doule, part of a wheel, perhaps from Middle Low German dovel, plug, or from Old French doele, barrel stave ( diminutive of douve, from Late Latin doga, vessel, from Greek dokhē, receptacle, from dekhesthai, to take; see dek- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] |
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