What is "empaling"

Empale \Em*pale"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Empaled; p. pr. & vb. n. Empaling.] [OF. empaler to palisade, pierce, F. empaler to punish by empalement; pref. em- (L. in) + OF. & F. pal a pale, stake. See Pale a stake, and cf. Impale.] [Written also impale.]

1. To fence or fortify with stakes; to surround with a line of stakes for defense; to impale.

   All that dwell near enemies empale villages, to save themselves from surprise.
   --Sir W. Raleigh.

2. To inclose; to surround. See Impale.

3. To put to death by thrusting a sharpened stake through the body.

4. (Her.) Same as Impale.

vb. (present participle of empale English)