▪ I. waul, n.
(wɔːl)
[f. next.]
A loud cry or howl.
| 1856 Meredith Shav. Shagpat 355 This was followed by..the waul of Krooz..and the complainings of Dob. |
▪ II. waul, wawl, v.
(wɔːl)
Also 6 Sc. wawill, 6–7 wawle, 6–8 waule, 9 dial. whaul, whawl.
[? Echoic; cf. wrawl v.]
intr. To utter the loud harsh cry characteristic of cats or of new-born babies.
| 15.. Poems Gray MS. v. 19 (S.T.S) 51 Quhat helpis þan to wawill or weip? 1557 T. Phaer æneid. vii. (1558) S ij b, And figures foule of wolues thei heare for wo to fret and wawle. 1601 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass. v. iv. 2151 Where cats do waule by day, dogges barke by night. 1605 Shakes. Lear iv. vi. 184 Thou know'st, the first time that we smell the Ayre We wawle, and cry. 1620 Melton Astrolog. 52 Many people in these dayes cannot..heare a Dogge howle, or a Cat wawle, but instantly they will runne to the Calculator. 1681 T. Flatman Heraclitus Ridens No. 35 (1713) I. 228 Your Babes of Grace, which waul and cry, because their Mother won't let them scratch her Eyes out. 1774 Colman Man of Business Prol., His brats..Brought up on playhouse pap, they waule and cry. 1871 Poste Gaius iv. §§21–25. 420 The plaintiff on three market-days shall stand before the defendant's door and waul [ed. 2 1875 wawl]. |
Hence ˈwauling vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| a 1530 Heywood Johan & Tyb 118 (Brandl), Wylt thou neuer leue this wawlyng? 1543 Bale Yet a Course 43 b, Wolde Tolwyn haue bene a good Idoll mayntener with holye water and sensynge, latine Iabberynge and wawlynge,..he had not bene thus brought forth for an heretyque. 1621 Molle Camerar. Liv. Libr. v. xv. 380 Without the shameful bawling and wawling of Lawyers and Atturneys. 1648 Mistris Parliament brought to Bed 8 There was..heard terrible thunderings, intermix'd with wawling of Catts, howling of Doggs, and barking of Wolves. a 1708 T. Ward Eng. Ref. i. (1710) 121 Like snarling Dog and wawling puss. 1812 G. Colman Lady of Wreck ii. xxi, Around his wawling presence swell A huge Seraglio, stock'd, pell-mell, With black, white, tabby, tortoise-shell. 1861 L. L. Noble Icebergs 296 Grimalkin answered with a terrible wauling. |
▪ III. waul, waule
obs. forms of wall n.1, v.4