Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

Baying

 - 3 dictionary results
Baying
Find Bayings at Great Prices.
www.Pronto.com

bay

3  [bey]
Use Baying in a Sentence
–noun
1. a deep, prolonged howl, as of a hound on the scent.
2. the position or stand of an animal or fugitive that is forced to turn and resist pursuers because it is no longer possible to flee (usually prec. by at or to): a stag at bay; to bring an escaped convict to bay.
3. the situation of a person or thing that is forced actively to oppose or to succumb to some adverse condition (usually prec. by at or to).
4. the situation of being actively opposed by an animal, person, etc., so as to be powerless to act fully (often prec. by at).
–verb (used without object)
5. to howl, esp. with a deep, prolonged sound, as a hound on the scent.
–verb (used with object)
6. to assail with deep, prolonged howling: a troubled hound baying the moon.
7. to bring to or to hold at bay: A dog bays its quarry.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME, aph. var. of abay < AF, dial. OF abai barking, n. deriv. of abaier to bark, from an imit. base *bay-

Synonyms:
5. roar, bellow, bark, bell, clamor.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Baying
Baying
Find Bayings at Great Prices.
www.Pronto.com
bay 4   (bā)   
n.  

  1. A deep, prolonged bark, such as the sound made by hounds.

  2. The position of one cornered by pursuers and forced to turn and fight at close quarters: The hunters brought their quarry to bay.

  3. The position of having been checked or held at a distance: "He has seen the nuclear threat held at bay for 40 years" (Earl W. Foell).

v.   bayed, bay·ing, bays

v.   intr.
To utter a deep, prolonged bark.
v.   tr.

  1. To pursue or challenge with barking: "I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon" (Shakespeare).

  2. To express by barking or howling: a mob baying its fury.

  3. To bring to bay: "too big for the dogs which tried to bay it" (William Faulkner).


[Middle English, from abai, cornering a hunted animal, from Old French, from abaiier, to bark, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *abbaiāre : Latin ad-, ad- + Vulgar Latin *badāre, to gape, yawn. V., from Middle English baien, to bark, from abaien, from Old French abaiier.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

bay  (1)
"inlet of the sea," 1385, from O.Fr. baie, L.L. baia (c.640), from Iberian bahia.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see Baying on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way