wail
part of speech
verb (wail, wails, wailed, wailing); noun (a wail, wails)
meaning for a pupil
1) To wail is to cry out with a long, loud, high sound because of pain, sadness or anger. tree →
2) A wail is such a long cry. tree →
3) Things like sirens or the wind can also wail. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: In Genesis, a loud, sorrowing cry of mourning. Interpretation: The loud mourning for Jacob shows how seriously the dead are honored. Tradition draws on this for mourning customs such as the seven days of shiva. In the primary lessons: In stories it shows deep sadness or a baby's crying, or creates spooky sounds (the wind wailing). Phrases: let out a wail, wail with grief, the wail of a siren.
examples
- And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they wailed with a very great and sore wailing; and he made a mourning for his father seven days. (Torah GEN.50.10, JPS 1917) tree →
- 'Son of man, prophesy, and say: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Wail ye: Woe worth the day! (Prophets EZK.30.2, JPS 1917) tree →
- Therefore shall Moab wail for Moab, every one shall wail; for the sweet cakes of Kir-hareseth shall ye mourn, sorely stricken. (Prophets ISA.16.7, JPS 1917) tree →
- Moab is put to shame, for it is dismayed; wail and cry; tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled. (Prophets JER.48.20, JPS 1917) tree →
- The baby began to wail when her toy fell. tree →
- The siren wailed as the ambulance raced past. tree →
- The wind wailed around the old house. tree →
- "It's not fair!" he wailed. tree →
- A long wail came from the forest. tree →
- The mourners wailed at the funeral. tree →
- It wailed through the ship, and died away. tree →
note
Regular verb: wailed, wailing. Homophone: whale (the sea animal). Similar: howl, moan, sob.
In the corpora
- For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of the LORD is not turned back from us.
- Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed, wail for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
- 'Son of man, prophesy, and say: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Wail ye: Woe worth the day!
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «wail» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.