To rub or chafe the skin; to cause a sore by rubbing or friction.
From be- (causative prefix) + gall (to irritate or cause a sore). Gall comes from Old English gealle and Latin galla, referring to sores or irritation on skin, particularly on horses.
This word comes directly from the practical world of horsekeeping—saddles would 'begall' a horse's back, creating painful sores that could disable the animal. Medieval riders had to carefully manage their horses' health.
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