bawl

Meanings

Verb

• To shout or utter in a loud and intense manner.
• To wail; to give out a blaring cry.

Noun

• A loud, intense shouting or wailing.

Origin

• From Middle English bawlen, from Old Norse baula ("to low") and/or Medieval Latin baulō ("to bark"), both from Proto-Germanic *bau- ("to roar"), from Proto-Indo-European *bau- ("to bark"), conflated with Proto-Germanic *bellaną, *ballijaną, *buljaną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- ("to sound, roar"). Cognate with Faroese belja ("to low"), Icelandic baula ("to moo, low"), Swedish böla ("to bellow, low"). More at bell.