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View synonyms for bleat

bleat

[ bleet ]

verb (used without object)

  1. to utter the cry of a sheep, goat, or calf or a sound resembling such a cry.


verb (used with object)

  1. to give forth with or as if with a bleat:

    He bleated his objections in a helpless rage.

  2. to babble; prate.

noun

  1. the cry of a sheep, goat, or calf.
  2. any similar sound:

    the bleat of distant horns.

  3. foolish, complaining talk; babble:

    I listened to their inane bleat all evening.

bleat

/ bliːt /

verb

  1. intr (of a sheep, goat, or calf) to utter its characteristic plaintive cry
  2. intr to speak with any similar sound
  3. to whine; whimper


noun

  1. the characteristic cry of sheep, goats, and young calves
  2. any sound similar to this
  3. a weak complaint or whine

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Derived Forms

  • ˈbleating, nounadjective
  • ˈbleater, noun

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Other Words From

  • bleater noun
  • bleating·ly adverb
  • outbleat verb (used with object)

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Word History and Origins

Origin of bleat1

before 1000; Middle English bleten, Old English blǣtan; cognate with Dutch blaten, Old High German blāzen; akin to Latin flēre to weep

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Word History and Origins

Origin of bleat1

Old English blǣtan ; related to Old High German blāzen , Dutch blaten , Latin flēre to weep; see blare

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Example Sentences

Lying on my back inside the narrow tube, I had swallowed my claustrophobia and let myself be enveloped in darkness and a cacophony of foghorn-like bleats.

The poor child didn't understand why Teacher Thomas should stare so at her, and she let out one long, unending bleat.

Let blue flames rise from the living sulphur and the sheep bleat loud as she feels the touch of the smoking sulphur.

As one company passed, the measured bleat and squeal of the pipes faded and merged into a sound heralding the approach of another.

It was a half-bred Angora kid—the little animal whose bleat we had heard.

A shrill bleat came to our ears—came from the bush on the further side of the hole to us, but still a little way beyond it.

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