howl

CEFRC1

/ˈhaʊ̯l/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To make a long, loud cry like a wolf.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    A prolonged cry of distress or anguish; a wail.

Examples

  • His voice was drowned out by the wraith's sudden howl.

  • I cannot howl like a jackal. I'm a goat!

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5

Also pronounced

  • /ˈhæʊ̯l/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. Any similar sound.

  2. To utter a loud, protracted, mournful sound or cry, as dogs and wolves often do.

noun

Extra meaning

  1. The protracted, mournful cry of a dog, wolf or other canid; also of other animals.

More examples

In context

  • They howled with laughter at the prank.

  • The howl of the wind

  • to howl derision

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The wolves began to blank at the full moon high on the hill.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English howlen, houlen, from Old English *hūlian, from Proto-West Germanic *hūilōn, from Proto-Germanic *hūwilōną, *hiuwilōną (“to howl”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *kū-, *kew- (“to howl, scream”). Likely of imitative origin. Cognate with Saterland Frisian huulje (“to howl”), Dutch huilen (“to cry”), Romanian a hăuli (“to howl”), Old French ouler, German Low German hulen (“to howl”), German heulen (“to howl”), Danish hyle (“to howl”), Swedish yla (“to scream, yell”), Northern Luri آلٛیر (āłir, “howl”).