bawl
/bɔːl
/verb
1 [reporting verb] Shout or call out noisily and unrestrainedly: [with direct speech]: ‘Move!’ bawled the drill corporal [with object]: we began to bawl out the words of the carol...
- But when he went into school and took the letter I had written, he was bawled at by one teacher while trying to explain.
- She was screaming and bawling out uncontrollably.
- He stepped up his voice each time until he was bawling out his message.
Synonyms
shout, call out, cry out, cry, yell, roar, bellow, screech, scream, shriek, howl, whoop, bark, growl, snarl, bluster, vociferate, trumpet, thunder
informal yammer
North American informal holler
2 [no object] Weep or cry noisily: (as adjective bawling) bawling babies...
- Some people weep and bawl, some just put on a brave face and try to go on instead of showing their emotions outwardly.
- When no answer was forthcoming, the plump girl began to bawl noisily.
- Scarlet wasn't bawling like a baby this time, but the tears were still on her face as she rested her head on Major's shoulder.
Synonyms
cry, sob, weep, shed tears, wail, blubber, snivel, whimper, whine, howl, squall
informal blub
Scottish informal greet
rare ululate
noun
A loud, unrestrained shout: he addressed every class in a terrifying bawl...
- In all, 7,629 came along, not only to bear witness but to provide a Greek chorus, with bawls and murmurs accompanying every touch of the ball in the early minutes.
- Her words were buried under assorted bawls, bellows, and roars; now it sounded like ten minutes past feeding time at the zoo.
- 'I then hear cuffing sounds and screams and bawls for help,' the teary-eyed relative said.
Synonyms
shout, yell, cry, roar, bellow, screech, scream, howl, whoop
North American informal holler
Phrasal verbs
bawl someone out
Origin
Late Middle English (in the sense '(of an animal) howl, bark'): imitative; possibly related to medieval Latin baulare 'to bark' or Icelandic baula 'to low'.