heulen

• IPA^(key): /ɦøːlə(n)/

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• Hyphenation: heu‧len
• Rhymes: -øːlən

First attested in the sixteenth century. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

heulen

1. (intransitive) To conspire

See the etymology of the main entry.

heulen

1. Plural form of heul

From Middle High German hiulen, from Old High German hūwilōn, related with the noun hūwila (“owl”). Cognate with Dutch huilen, English howl.

• IPA^(key): /hɔʏ̯lən/

• Audio

  (file)

heulen (third-person singular simple present heult, past tense heulte, past participle geheult, auxiliary haben)

1. to howl, to whine (make a loud, usually high-pitched sound)
2. (sometimes informal or derogatory) to weep, to cry (see usage notes)

• Both in colloquial and literary German, heulen often has a deprecatory tone, implying that the weeping is unjustified and exaggerated. However, in the vernacular it is also commonly used as an entirely neutral synonym of weinen. So one could say in an affectionate and consoling manner: Ach Schatz... jetzt heul doch nicht! Komm her zu mir! (“Oh honey... now don’t cry! Come to me!”). In literary German, heulen is used neutrally only for very intense or desperate weeping, especially referring to small children.

• (weep): weinen

• heulen in Duden online