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Wean vs Wail - What's the difference?

wean | wail |

In lang=en terms the difference between wean and wail

is that wean is to cease to depend while wail is to lament; to bewail; to grieve over.

As verbs the difference between wean and wail

is that wean is to cease giving milk to an offspring; to accustom and reconcile (a child or young animal) to a want or deprivation of mother's milk; to take from the breast or udder while wail is to cry out, as in sorrow or anguish or wail can be (obsolete) to choose; to select.

As nouns the difference between wean and wail

is that wean is (scotland) a small child while wail is a prolonged cry, usually high-pitched, especially as of grief or anguish.

wean

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) wenian.

Verb

(en verb)
  • To cease giving milk to an offspring; to accustom and reconcile (a child or young animal) to a want or deprivation of mother's milk; to take from the breast or udder.
    • The cow has weaned her calf.
  • * Bible, Genesis xxi. 8
    • Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned .
  • To cause to quit something to which one is addicted or habituated.
    • He managed to wean himself off heroin.
  • * Jonathan Swift
    • The troubles of age were intended to wean us gradually from our fondness of life.
  • To cease to depend on the mother for nourishment.
    • The kittens are finally weaning .
  • To cease to depend.
    • She is weaning from her addiction to tobacco.

    Etymology 2

    .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (Scotland) A small child.
  • * 2008 , (James Kelman), Kieron Smith, Boy , Penguin 2009, p. 92:
    • Pigs, cows and sheep and wee ducks, that was what he bought and it was just for weans and wee lasses. I said it to my maw.
    Oh it is not weans' it is children. Oh Kieron, it is children and girls, do not say ' weans and lasses.
  • * Elizabeth Browning
    • I, being but a yearling wean .

    Anagrams

    * * * ----

    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