wail
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wail
moan or lament; to cry loudly: The toddler is sure to wail when his mother leaves.
Not to be confused with:
whale – hit, beat, strike hard: whale away at the bully; a very large cetacean
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
wail
(wāl)v. wailed, wail·ing, wails
v.intr.
1. To make a long, loud, high-pitched cry, as in grief, sorrow, or fear. See Synonyms at cry.
2. To make a prolonged, high-pitched sound suggestive of a cry: The wind wailed through the trees.
v.tr. Archaic
To lament over; bewail.
n.
1. A long, loud, high-pitched cry, as of grief or pain.
2. A long, loud, high-pitched sound: the wail of a siren.
3. A loud, bitter protest: A wail of misery went up when new parking restrictions were announced.
[Middle English wailen, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse vāla, vǣla.]
wail′er n.
wail′ing·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
wail
(weɪl)vb
1. (intr) to utter a prolonged high-pitched cry, as of grief or misery
2. (intr) to make a sound resembling such a cry: the wind wailed in the trees.
3. (tr) to lament, esp with mournful sounds
n
a prolonged high-pitched mournful cry or sound
[C14: of Scandinavian origin; related to Old Norse vǣla to wail, Old English wā woe]
ˈwailer n
ˈwailful adj
ˈwailfully adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
wail
(weɪl)v.i.
1. to utter a prolonged, mournful cry, as in grief or suffering.
2. to make mournful sounds, as music or the wind.
3. to lament or mourn bitterly.
4. Slang. to express emotion musically or verbally in an exciting, satisfying way.
v.t. 5. to express deep sorrow for; mourn.
6. to express in wailing or in lamentation.
n. 7. the act of wailing.
8. a wailing cry.
9. any similar mournful sound.
[1300–50; Middle English weile (v. and n.), perhaps derivative of Old English weilā(wei) wellaway; compare Old English wǣlan to torment, Old Norse wǣla to wail]
wail′er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
wail
Past participle: wailed
Gerund: wailing
Imperative |
---|
wail |
wail |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | wail - a cry of sorrow and grief; "their pitiful laments could be heard throughout the ward" complaint - (formerly) a loud cry (or repeated cries) of pain or rage or sorrow |
Verb | 1. | wail - emit long loud cries; "wail in self-pity"; "howl with sorrow" |
2. | wail - cry weakly or softly; "she wailed with pain" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
wail
verb
noun
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
wail
verb1. To make inarticulate sounds of grief or pain, usually accompanied by tears:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
نَوْح، نُواح، إنْتِحابيَنوح، يَبْكي، يَنْتَحِب
hylehylenjamre
jajgatjajgatás
vein, væl, gólveina, væla
ūkčiojimas
apraudātgaudasgaudotraudasvaimanas
tarnatizavijati
wail
[weɪl]Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
wail
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
wail
[weɪl]Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
wail
(weil) verb to utter sorrowful or complaining cries. The child is wailing over its broken toy.
noun a long cry. wails of grief; I heard the wail of a police siren.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
wail
v. lamentarse; gemir.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012