What is "to ring a peal"

Peal \Peal\, n. [An abbrev. of F. appel a call, appeal, ruffle of a drum, fr. appeller to call, L. appellare. See Appeal.]

1. A loud sound, or a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts, of a multitude, etc. ``A fair peal of artillery.''
   --Hayward.

   Whether those peals of praise be his or no.
   --Shak.

   And a deep thunder, peal on peal, afar.
   --Byron.

2. A set of bells tuned to each other according to the diatonic scale; also, the changes rung on a set of bells.

   To ring a peal. See under Ring.

Ring \Ring\ (r[i^]ng), v. t. [imp. Rang (r[a^]ng) or Rung (r[u^]ng); p. p. Rung; p. pr. & vb. n. Ringing.] [AS. hringan; akin to Icel. hringja, Sw. ringa, Dan. ringe, OD. ringhen, ringkelen. [root]19.]

1. To cause to sound, especially by striking, as a metallic body; as, to ring a bell.

2. To make (a sound), as by ringing a bell; to sound.

   The shard-borne beetle, with his drowsy hums, Hath rung night's yawning peal.
   --Shak.

3. To repeat often, loudly, or earnestly.

   To ring a peal, to ring a set of changes on a chime of bells.

   To ring the changes upon. See under Change.

   To ring in or To ring out, to usher, attend on, or celebrate, by the ringing of bells; as, to ring out the old year and ring in the new.
   --Tennyson.

   To ring the bells backward, to sound the chimes, reversing the common order; -- formerly done as a signal of alarm or danger.
   --Sir W. Scott.