howl

From Middle English howlen, houlen, from Old English *hūlian, from Proto-Germanic *hūwilōną, *hiuwilōną (“to howl”), from Proto-Indo-European *kū-, *kew- (“to howl, scream”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian huulje (“to howl”), Dutch huilen (“to howl”), Old French ouler, uller ("to howl"; < Germanic), German Low German hulen (“to howl”), German heulen (“to howl”), Danish hyle (“to howl”), Swedish hyla (“to scream, yell”).

• enPR: houl, IPA^(key): /haʊl/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -aʊl

howl (plural howls)

1. The protracted, mournful cry of a dog or a wolf, or other like sound.
2. A prolonged cry of distress or anguish; a wail.

• Irish howl

howl (third-person singular simple present howls, present participle howling, simple past and past participle howled)

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

     And dogs in corners set them down to howl.

   • Shakespeare

     Methought a legion of foul fiends / Environ'd me about, and howled in my ears.

2. To utter a sound expressive of pain or distress; to cry aloud and mournfully; to lament; to wail.
   • Bible, Isaiah xiii. 6

     Howl ye, for the day of the Lord is at hand.

3. To make a noise resembling the cry of a wild beast.
   • Sir Walter Scott

     Wild howled the wind.

4. To utter with outcry.

   to howl derision

From Proto-Celtic *sāwol (compare Welsh haul, Breton heol; compare also Irish súil (“eye”)), from Proto-Indo-European *sóh₂wl̥.

howl m (plural howlyow)

1. sun