appal

 
Pronunciation: /əˈpɔːl/
(US appall)

verb (appals, appalling, appalled)

[with object] (usually be appalled)
  • greatly dismay or horrify: bankers are appalled at the economic incompetence of some ministers (as adjective appalled) Alison looked at me, appalled

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French apalir 'grow pale', from a- (from Latin ad 'to, at') + palir 'to pale'. The original sense was 'grow pale', later 'make pale', hence 'horrify' (late Middle English)

Spelling help

Spell appal with a double p.

Spelling rule

Double the l when adding endings which begin with a vowel to words which end in a vowel plus l (as in travel): (appals, appalling, appalled).