wail definition - Dictionary

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wail

wail [ wayl ]

verb (past and past participle wailed, present participle wail·ing, 3rd person present singular wails)

Definition:

1. transitive and intransitive verb make mournful cry: to express pain, grief, or misery in a long mournful high-pitched cry or in words uttered in a mournful way

He could only wail when he heard the news.

2. intransitive verb make long high-pitched noise: to make a long loud high-pitched sound

The sirens wailed.

3. transitive verb lament somebody or something: to express grief over somebody or something ( archaic )

noun (plural wails)

Definition:

1. long mournful sound: a long mournful high-pitched cry or sound

2. protest: a loud plaintive expression of protest, resentment, or disappointment

[13th century. < Old Norse< vei "woe"]

wail·er noun

wail·ful adjective

wail·ful·ly adverb

Spelling Note


	wail, wale, or whale? Do not confuse the spelling of wail, wale, and whale, which sound similar. Wail is a noun or verb denoting a long loud high-pitched sound, as in the wail of a siren, wailing children. The word wale, which is less frequently encountered in general usage, denotes a raised mark on the skin caused by a blow or a ridge (for example, on fabric). A whale is a large ocean mammal or something similarly impressive, as in having a whale of a time.