Lewis & Short

pāla, ae, f. [contr. from pagela, from pago, pango: pala a pangendo, Varr. L. L. 5, § 134 Müll.], a spade.

  1. I. Lit.: palas vendundas sibi ait … ut hortum fodiat, Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 58: sarcula VIII., palas IV., Cato, R. R. 10, 3: palae innixus, Liv. 3, 26: juncosus ager verti pala debet, Plin. 18, 6, 8, § 46: palis laxatus, id. 17, 17, 27, § 123; Col. 10, 45.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. A peel for putting bread into the oven, Cato, R. R. 11 fin.
    2. B. A winnowing-shovel, Tert. Praescr. 3; so Juvenc. 1, 371.
    3. C. The bezel of a ring = funda: palam anuli ad palmam convertere, Cic. Off. 3, 9, 38.
    4. D. The shoulder-blade, Cael. Aur. Acut. 2, 35; id. Tard. 3, 2.
    5. E. An Indian tree, the plantain-tree: Musa Paradisiaca, Linn.; Plin. 12, 6, 12, § 24.