[syn: wail, whimper, mewl, pule]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Wail \Wail\, v. i.
To express sorrow audibly; to make mournful outcry; to weep.
[1913 Webster]
Therefore I will wail and howl. --Micah i. 8.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Wail \Wail\, n.
Loud weeping; violent lamentation; wailing. "The wail of the
forest." --Longfellow.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Wail \Wail\, v. t. [Cf. Icel. val choice, velja to choose, akin
to Goth. waljan, G. w[aum]hlen.]
To choose; to select. [Obs.] "Wailed wine and meats."
--Henryson.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Wail \Wail\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wailed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Wailing.] [OE. wailen, weilen, probably fr. Icel. v[ae]la;
cf. Icel. v[ae], vei, woe, and E. wayment, also OE. wai, wei,
woe. Cf. Woe.]
To lament; to bewail; to grieve over; as, to wail one's
death. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
wail
n 1: a cry of sorrow and grief; "their pitiful laments could be
heard throughout the ward" [syn: lament, lamentation,
plaint, wail]
v 1: emit long loud cries; "wail in self-pity"; "howl with
sorrow" [syn: howl, ululate, wail, roar, yawl,
yaup]
2: cry weakly or softly; "she wailed with pain" [syn: wail,
whimper, mewl, pule]