waul(动词/名词,常见于英式与苏格兰用法)指(人或动物)发出拖长、粗哑、令人不适的嚎哭/哀号声,常用来形容婴儿大哭或猫狗等动物的惨叫。(也可作名词,指这种哭号声。)
/wɔːl/(英)
/wɔl/(美)
The baby wailed and waulled all night.
宝宝整夜都在大哭嚎叫。
As the wind rose, the stray dog began to waul at the empty streetlights, a harsh sound that made everyone in the house uneasy.
风越刮越大,那只流浪狗对着空荡的路灯哀号,刺耳的声音让屋里的人都感到不安。
waul 多被认为来自苏格兰语(Scots)用法,和 wail(哀号、哭喊)在意义与语感上相近,属于表达“拖长的哭号声”的拟声/方言词发展而来;在英语中带有较强的“粗哑、拉长、难听”的声音色彩。