In the northern counties, a dale is the usual name for a river-valley between
its enclosing
ranges of hills or high land. In geographical names, e.g. Clydesdale,
Annandale, Borrowdale,
Dovedale, it extends from Lanarkshire to Derbyshire, and even farther south,
but as an appellative it is more or less confined to the district from
Cumbria to Yorkshire. A
dale can also be a hole in the ground; a hollow, a pit, or a gulf.
Another use of the word "dale" is for the name of a portion or share of
land; especially a share of a common field, or portion of an
undivided field
indicated by landmarks but not divided off. A
dale can also connote a dealing or having to do with something or someone
(e.g. business).
mb