cooee

American  

[koo-ee] / ˈku i /

noun

1. a prolonged, shrill, clear call or cry used as a signal by Aboriginal inhabitants of Australia and adopted by the settlers in the country.

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verb (used without object)

cooeed, cooeeing

1. to utter the call “cooee.”

cooee British  

/ ˈkuːiː /

interjection

1. a call used to attract attention, esp (originally) a long loud high-pitched call on two notes used in the Australian bush

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verb

1. (intr) to utter this call

noun

1. informal calling distance (esp in the phrase within ( a ) cooee ( of ))

Etymology

Origin of cooee

First recorded in 1780–90, cooee is from the Dharuk word gu-wī

Example Sentences

She'd see a joke a mile off; sighted 'em as soon as they got within cooee.

From We of the Never-Never by Gunn, Jeannie

Now, I'll stay here," she said, "in the shade of the trees, while you go round and round; and if you don't find her here, go right over the ridge and cooee every few seconds.

From The Girl Crusoes A Story of the South Seas by Strang, Mrs. Herbert

One instance each of A-1 and A1, and cooee and coo-e-e were retained.

From The Jolliest School of All by Brazil, Angela

This Colony can't come within a cooee of you with the beer, and I'm the first to own it!

From At Large by Hornung, E. W. (Ernest William)

They continually fired at them, but, as far as I was able to judge, never went within cooee of one.

From Five Months at Anzac A Narrative of Personal Experiences of the Officer Commanding the 4th Field Ambulance, Australian Imperial Force by Beeston, Joseph Lievesley