wail

UK: /ˈweɪl/ US: /weɪl/ ,(wāl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

wail /weɪl/   v. 

1. to express sorrow with a long, loud cry: [no object]
   The child wailed unhappily.
   [~ + object]
   She wailed a warning.
   [used with quotations]
   "I want to go home!'' she wailed.
2. to make sounds resembling a sorrowful cry:
   [no object] The wind wailed.

n. [countable]

3. a wailing cry or sound.

wail•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

wail  (wāl), v.i. 

1. to utter a prolonged, inarticulate, mournful cry, usually high-pitched or clear-sounding, as in grief or suffering:
   to wail with pain.
2. to make mournful sounds, as music or the wind.
3. to lament or mourn bitterly.
4. Music and Dance [Jazz.] to perform exceptionally well.
5. Slang Terms to express emotion musically or verbally in an exciting, satisfying way.

v.t. 

6. to express deep sorrow for;
   mourn;
   lament;
   bewail:
   to wail the dead; to wail one's fate.
7. to express in wailing;
   cry or say in lamentation:
   to wail one's grief.

n. 

8. the act of wailing.
9. a wailing cry, as of grief, pain, or despair.
10. any similar mournful sound:
    the wail of an old tune.

• 1300–50; Middle English weile (verb, verbal and noun, nominal), perh. derivative of Old English weilā(wei) well-away; compare Old English wǣlan to torment, Old Norse wǣla to wail

wail′er, n. 
wail′ing•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

wail / weɪl/ verb

1. (intransitive) to utter a prolonged high-pitched cry, as of grief or misery
2. (intransitive) to make a sound resembling such a cry: the wind wailed in the trees
3. (transitive) to lament, esp with mournful sounds

noun

1. a prolonged high-pitched mournful cry or sound

Etymology: 14th Century: of Scandinavian origin; related to Old Norse vǣla to wail, Old English wā woe

ˈwailer noun