What does wail mean?

Definitions for wail
weɪlwail

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word wail.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. lament, lamentation, plaint, wailverb

    a cry of sorrow and grief

    "their pitiful laments could be heard throughout the ward"

  2. howl, ululate, wail, roar, yawl, yaupverb

    emit long loud cries

    "wail in self-pity"; "howl with sorrow"

  3. wail, whimper, mewl, puleverb

    cry weakly or softly

    "she wailed with pain"

Wiktionary

  1. wailnoun

    A prolonged cry, usually high-pitched, especially as of grief or anguish.

    She let out a loud, doleful wail.

  2. wailnoun

    Any similar sound as of lamentation; a howl.

  3. wailverb

    To cry out, as in sorrow or anguish.

  4. wailverb

    To weep, lament persistently or bitterly.

  5. wailverb

    To make a noise like mourning or crying.

    The wind wailed and the rain streamed down.

  6. wailverb

    To perform, express emotion in an exceptionally exciting way.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. WAILnoun

    Audible sorrow.

    Around the woods
    She sighs her song, which with her wail resound. James Thomson.

  2. To Wailverb

    To moan; to lament; to bewail.

    Etymology: gualare, Italian.

    Wise men ne’er wail their present woes,
    But presently prevent the ways to wail. William Shakespeare.

    Say, if my spouse maintains her royal trust?
    Or if no more her absent lord she wails,
    But the false woman o’er the wife prevails? Alexander Pope.

  3. To Wailverb

    To grieve audibly; to express sorrow.

    Son of man wail for the multitude. Ez. xxxii. 18.

    I will wail and howl. Mic. i. 8.

Wikipedia

  1. WAIL

    WAIL (99.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Key West, Florida, United States, the station serves the Florida Keys area. The station is currently owned by Robert Holladay, through licensee Florida Keys Media, LLC.

ChatGPT

  1. wail

    A wail is a prolonged, high-pitched cry of pain, grief, or sorrow. It can also refer to a long, loud, high-pitched sound such as that made by a siren or wind. As a verb, it means to make such a sound, typically as an expression of deep grief or distress.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Wailverb

    to choose; to select

  2. Wailverb

    to lament; to bewail; to grieve over; as, to wail one's death

  3. Wailverb

    to express sorrow audibly; to make mournful outcry; to weep

  4. Wailnoun

    loud weeping; violent lamentation; wailing

  5. Etymology: [OE. wailen, weilen, probably fr. Icel. vla; cf. Icel. v, vei, woe, and E. wayment, also OE. wai, wei, woe. Cf. Woe.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Wail

    wāl, v.i. to lament or sorrow audibly.—v.t. to bemoan: to grieve over.—n. a cry of woe: loud weeping.—n. Wail′er.—adj. Wail′ful, sorrowful, mournful.—n. Wail′ing.—adv. Wail′ingly. [M. E. weilen—Ice. vaela, vála, to wail—, vei, woe.]

Suggested Resources

  1. WAIL

    What does WAIL stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the WAIL acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

How to pronounce wail?

How to say wail in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of wail in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of wail in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of wail in a Sentence

  1. Percy Bysshe Shelley:

    Rough wind, that moanest loudGrief too sad for songWild wind, when sullen cloudKnells all the night longSad storm, whose tears are vain,Bare woods, whose branches strain,Deep caves and dreary main, - Wail, for the world's wrong

  2. Barbara King:

    There was one gorilla whose long-term mate and friend died in the zoo, and he first tried to revive her, even bringing her favorite food to her and putting it in her hand and poking her, and then at some point he seemed to come to a really stunning realization that his friend was not going to move. I don’t know if that’s a concept of death, but his behavior changed and he let out a very agonizing wail and stopped trying to revive her. Clearly something cognitive and emotional happened to him at that moment.

  3. Aline Tanios:

    Cardinal Glennon Children Hospital's agonizing sometimes, especially when Wail Hayajneh see these kids spiraling down before they head to the ICU.

  4. Minna Antrim:

    The drama of life begins with a wail and ends with a sigh.

  5. Candidate McBath:

    Just this primal wail came out of me, and I was like,' Where's Jordan ?' I just started screaming. Jordan's father said, he told me' Jordan is dead,' i felt like in that moment that everything I had done to protect him, it wasn't good enough.

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Translations for wail

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"wail." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/wail>.

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