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bray

 - 5 dictionary results

bray

1  [brey]
Use bray in a Sentence
–noun
1. the loud, harsh cry of a donkey.
2. any similar loud, harsh sound.
–verb (used without object)
3. to utter a loud and harsh cry, as a donkey.
4. to make a loud, harsh, disagreeable sound.
–verb (used with object)
5. to utter with a loud, harsh sound, like a donkey.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME brayen < OF braire to cry out (c. ML bragīre to neigh) < Celtic; cf. OIr braigid (he) breaks wind

bray

2  [brey]
–verb (used with object)
1. to pound or crush fine, as in a mortar.
2. Printing. to thin (ink) on a slate before placing on the ink plate of a press.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME brayen < AF bra(i)er, OF broier < Gmc; see break
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To bray
bray 1   (brā)   
v.   brayed, bray·ing, brays

v.   intr.

  1. To utter the loud, harsh cry of a donkey.

  2. To sound loudly and harshly: The foghorn brayed all night.

v.   tr.
To emit (an utterance or a sound) loudly and harshly.
n.  

  1. The loud, harsh cry of a donkey.

  2. A sound resembling that of a donkey: "an endless bray of pointless jocosity" (Louis Auchincloss).


[Middle English braien, from Old French braire, from Vulgar Latin *bragere, of Celtic origin.]
bray 2   (brā)   
tr.v.   brayed, bray·ing, brays

  1. To crush and pound to a fine consistency, as in a mortar.

  2. To spread (ink) thinly over a surface.


[Middle English braien, from Old French breier, of Germanic origin; see bhreg- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

bray  (v.)
c.1300, from O.Fr. braire "to cry," from Gallo-Romance *bragire "to cry out," perhaps from a Celtic source (cf. Gael. braigh "to shriek, crackle"), probably imitative.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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