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Hullabaloo vs Wail - What's the difference?

hullabaloo | wail | Related terms |

Hullabaloo is a related term of wail.


As nouns the difference between hullabaloo and wail

is that hullabaloo is an uproar or fuss while wail is a prolonged cry, usually high-pitched, especially as of grief or anguish.

As a verb wail is

to cry out, as in sorrow or anguish or wail can be (obsolete) to choose; to select.

hullabaloo

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • An uproar or fuss.
  • They made such a hullabaloo about the change that the authorities were forced to change it back.
  • * 1902
  • Certainly they had brought with them some rotten hippo–meat, which couldn’t have lasted very long, anyway, even if the pilgrims hadn’t, in the midst of a shocking hullabaloo , thrown a considerable quantity of it overboard.

    Synonyms

    * ado * fuss * hype * to-do * uproar *

    wail

    English

    Etymology 1

    Probably from (etyl) Etymology in Webster's Dictionary

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A prolonged cry, usually high-pitched, especially as of grief or anguish.
  • She let out a loud, doleful wail .
  • Any similar sound as of lamentation; a howl.
  • The wail of snow-dark winter winds.
    A bird's wail in the night.
  • A sound made by emergency vehicle sirens, contrasted with "yelp" which is higher-pitched and faster.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cry out, as in sorrow or anguish.
  • To weep, lament persistently or bitterly.
  • To make a noise like mourning or crying.
  • The wind wailed and the rain streamed down.
  • To lament; to bewail; to grieve over.
  • to wail one's death
    (Shakespeare)
  • (slang, music) To perform with great liveliness and force.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Derived terms
    * wailer * wailingly
    References

    Etymology 2

    Compare Icelandic word for "choice".

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To choose; to select.
  • * Henryson
  • Wailed wine and meats
    (Webster 1913) English terms with homophones