Wail
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wail¹
- /weɪl/
- [weɪɫ]
Sounds like wale (pane–pain merger), whale (wine–whine merger, pane–pain merger) · Rhymes with -eɪl
Where it comes from
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 wails · wailing · wailed
- To cry out, as in sorrow or anguish.
- To weep, lament persistently or bitterly.
- To make a noise like mourning or crying. The wind wailed and the rain streamed down.
- To lament; to bewail; to grieve over. to wail one's death
- To perform with great liveliness and force. Another outstanding surfer from Hawaii - Fred Hemmings. Fred only stands up on alternate Wednesdays, but when he does, he really wails.
noun wails
- A prolonged cry, usually high-pitched, especially as of grief or anguish. She let out a loud, doleful wail.
- Any similar sound as of lamentation; a howl. The wail of snow-dark winter winds.
- A sound made by emergency vehicle sirens, contrasted with "yelp" which is higher-pitched and faster.
wail²
- /weɪl/
- [weɪɫ]
Sounds like wale (pane–pain merger), whale (wine–whine merger, pane–pain merger) · Rhymes with -eɪl
Where it comes from
From Old Norse val (“choice”). Compare Icelandic velja (“to choose”). More at wale.
verb wails · wailing · wailed
- Synonym of wale (“to choose; to select”). Wailed wine and metes
Wail³
proper noun
- A locality in the Rural City of Horsham, western Victoria, Australia.
