waul

/ wɔːl /

verb

1. intr to cry or wail plaintively like a cat

Word History and Origins

Origin of waul¹

C16: of imitative origin

Example Sentences

No dogs barking, no marauding cats 246 wauling dismally on back fences, no rattle and whiz of “L” cars, no clatter of heavy wagons.

From Project Gutenberg

"Thou must be patient; we came crying hither; Thou knowest the first time that we smell air, We waul and cry."

From Project Gutenberg

Faithful Anton heard this wauling, And involuntarily looking Toward that way: "Good heaven!" said he, "In the garden is the enemy."

From Project Gutenberg

Were we to kill off the wauling cats which make such a mess of the garden, the neighbourhood would lose its best garbingers.

From Project Gutenberg

The town of Warwick hath been right strongly defended and waullid, having a compace of a good mile within the waul.

From Project Gutenberg