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Wail vs Bluster - What's the difference?

wail | bluster | Related terms |

Wail is a related term of bluster.


As nouns the difference between wail and bluster

is that wail is a prolonged cry, usually high-pitched, especially as of grief or anguish while bluster is pompous, officious talk.

As verbs the difference between wail and bluster

is that wail is to cry out, as in sorrow or anguish or wail can be (obsolete) to choose; to select while bluster is to speak or protest loudly.

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.
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    • 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

    bluster

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Pompous, officious talk.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-22, volume=407, issue=8841, page=70, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Engineers of a different kind , passage=Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers. Piling debt onto companies’ balance-sheets is only a small part of what leveraged buy-outs are about, they insist. Improving the workings of the businesses they take over is just as core to their calling, if not more so. Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster .}}
  • A gust of wind.
  • Fitful noise and violence.

    • Synonyms

    * (pompous talk) bombast

    Verb

  • To speak or protest loudly.
    • When confronted by opposition his reaction was to bluster , which often cowed the meek.
  • To act or speak in an unduly threatening manner.
  • * Burke
    • Your ministerial directors blustered like tragic tyrants.
  • * Sir T. More
    • He bloweth and blustereth out his abominable blasphemy.
  • * Fuller
    • As if therewith he meant to bluster all princes into a perfect obedience to his commands.
  • To blow in strong or sudden gusts.
  • * Milton
    • And ever-threatening storms / Of Chaos blustering round.

    Derived terms

    * blusterer * blustering * blusterous * blustery

    Anagrams

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