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Wail vs Wali - What's the difference?

wail | wali |

As nouns the difference between wail and wali

is that wail is a prolonged cry, usually high-pitched, especially as of grief or anguish while wali is a provincial governor in certain islamic countries.

As a verb wail

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

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

    wali

    English

    Alternative forms

    * * (l) (via Turkish)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A provincial governor in certain Islamic countries.
  • *1974 , (Lawrence Durrell), Monsieur , Faber & Faber 1992, page 130:
  • *:You see the shrine was founded in memory of a great Wali , seer, holy man – but apparently a Mohammedan.
  • *{{quote-news, year=2007, date=November 2, author=Jane Perlez, title=Militants Draw New Front Line Inside Pakistan, work=New York Times citation
  • , passage=For much of the last century, the mountainous region of Swat was ruled as a princely kingdom where a benign autocrat, the wali , bestowed schools for girls, health care for everyone and the chance to get a degree abroad for the talented. }}