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Weep vs Wail - What's the difference?

weep | wail |

As verbs the difference between weep and wail

is that weep is to cry; shed tears while wail is to cry out, as in sorrow or anguish.

As nouns the difference between weep and wail

is that weep is the lapwing; the wipe while wail is a prolonged cry, usually high-pitched, especially as of grief or anguish.

weep

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) wepen, from (etyl) .

Verb

  • To cry; shed tears.
  • * Longfellow
    • They wept together in silence.
  • To lament; to complain.
  • * Bible, Numbers xi. 13
    • They weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
  • (medicine, of a, wound or sore) To produce secretions.
  • To flow in drops; to run in drops.
    • a weeping spring, which discharges water slowly
  • * Shakespeare
    • The blood weeps from my heart.
  • To hang the branches, as if in sorrow; to be pendent; to droop; said of a plant or its branches.
  • (obsolete) To weep over; to bewail.
  • * Prior
    • Fair Venus wept the sad disaster / Of having lost her favorite dove.
    Synonyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * weep in one's beer * weepy * weeping willow

    Etymology 2

    Imitative of its cry.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The lapwing; the wipe.

    • 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