bleat

bleat
I. verb Etymology: Middle English bleten, from Old English blǣtan; akin to Latin flēre to weep, Old English bellan to roar — more at bellow Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. a. to make the natural cry of a sheep or goat; also to utter a similar sound b. whimper 2. a. to talk complainingly or with a whine b. blather transitive verb to utter in a bleating manner • bleater noun II. noun Date: circa 1505 1. the cry of a sheep or goat; also a similar sound <
the bleat of a cell phone
>
2. a feeble outcry, protest, or complaint

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • bleat´er — bleat «bleet», noun, verb. –n. 1. the cry made by a sheep, goat, or calf: »The shepherd heard the bleat of the lost lamb over the hill. 2. a sound like this: »The victim gave a bleat of terror. ╂[< verb] –v.i. 1. to make the cry of a sheep,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Bleat — Bleat, n. A plaintive cry of, or like that of, a sheep. [1913 Webster] The bleat of fleecy sheep. Chapman s Homer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Bleat — Bleat, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Bleated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Bleating}.] [OE. bleten, AS. bl?tan; akin to D. blaten, bleeten, OHG. bl[=a]zan, pl[=a]zan; prob. of imitative origin.] To make the noise of, or one like that of, a sheep; to cry like a sheep …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bleat — bleat·er; bleat·ing·ly; bleat; …   English syllables

  • bleat|y — «BLEE tee», adjective, bleat|i|er, bleat|i|est. bleating; whining: »a bleaty tenor …   Useful english dictionary

  • bleat — [bli:t] v [: Old English; Origin: blAtan] 1.) to make the sound that a sheep or goat makes 2.) [i]informal to complain in a silly or annoying way ▪ But I ve only just got here, bleated Simon. >bleat n …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • bleat — ► VERB 1) (of a sheep or goat) make a weak, wavering cry. 2) speak or complain in a weak or foolish way. ► NOUN ▪ a bleating sound. ORIGIN Old English …   English terms dictionary

  • bleat — [blēt] vi. [ME bleten < OE blætan: see BLEAR] 1. to make its characteristic cry: said of a sheep, goat, or calf 2. to make a sound like this cry 3. to speak foolishly, whiningly, or querulously vt. to say or express in a bleating voice n. 1 …   English World dictionary

  • bleat — {{11}}bleat (n.) c.1500, from BLEAT (Cf. bleat) (v.). {{12}}bleat (v.) O.E. blætan, from W.Germanic *bhle (Cf. Du. blaten to bleat ), of imitative origin (Cf. Gk. blekhe a bleating; the wailing of children, O.C.S. blejat to bleat, L. flere to… …   Etymology dictionary

  • bleat — [[t]bli͟ːt[/t]] bleats, bleating, bleated 1) VERB When a sheep or goat bleats, it makes the sound that sheep and goats typically make. From the slope below, the wild goats bleated faintly. [V ing] ...a small flock of bleating ewes and lambs. N… …   English dictionary

  • bleat — I UK [bliːt] / US [blɪt] verb Word forms bleat : present tense I/you/we/they bleat he/she/it bleats present participle bleating past tense bleated past participle bleated 1) [intransitive] to make the sound that a sheep or goat makes 2) a)… …   English dictionary

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