wail

== English == === Pronunciation === enPR: wāl, IPA(key): /weɪl/, [weɪɫ] Rhymes: -eɪl Homophones: wale (pane–pain merger); whale (wine–whine merger, pane–pain merger) === Etymology 1 === c. 1300, Middle English weilen, waylen (“to sob, cry, wail”), from Old Norse væla (“to wail”), from væ, vei (“woe”), from Proto-Germanic *wai (whence also Old English wā (“woe”) (English woe)), from Proto-Indo-European *wáy. The verb is first attested in the intransitive sense; the transitive sense developed in mid-14th c.. The noun came from the verb. ==== Verb ==== wail (third-person singular simple present wails, present participle wailing, simple past and past participle wailed) (intransitive) To cry out, as in sorrow or anguish. Synonyms: groan, moan (intransitive) To weep, lament persistently or bitterly. Synonyms: burst into tears; see also Thesaurus:weep (intransitive) To make a noise like mourning or crying. Synonyms: keen, ululate (transitive) To lament; to bewail; to grieve over. Synonyms: lament, mourn; see also Thesaurus:lament (slang, music) To perform with great liveliness and force. ===== Derived terms ===== bewail wailer wail on wailingly ===== Translations ===== ==== Noun ==== wail (plural wails) A prolonged cry, usually high-pitched, especially as of grief or anguish. [from 15th c.] Any similar sound as of lamentation; a howl. A sound made by emergency vehicle sirens, contrasted with "yelp" which is higher-pitched and faster. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== References ==== === Etymology 2 === From Old Norse val (“choice”). Compare Icelandic velja (“to choose”). More at wale. ==== Verb ==== wail (third-person singular simple present wails, present participle wailing, simple past and past participle wailed) (obsolete) Synonym of wale (“to choose; to select”). ==== References ==== “wail”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “wail”, in The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. “wail”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. === Anagrams === wali, wila, wāli == Antigua and Barbuda Creole English == === Adjective === wail wild == Asilulu == === Noun === wail water === References === James T. Collins, The Historical Relationships of the Languages of Central Maluku, Indonesia (1983), page 70 == Cebuano == === Etymology === Blend of wala (“not”) +‎ ilhi (“known, recognized”). === Pronunciation === Hyphenation: wa‧il IPA(key): /waˈʔil/ [wɐˈʔil̪] Rhymes: -il === Noun === wail (Badlit spelling ᜏᜁᜎ᜔) an insignificant person an unknown person or thing an unknown celebrity or politician