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caterwauling

 - 3 dictionary results

cat⋅er⋅waul

  [kat-er-wawl]
Use caterwauling in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to utter long wailing cries, as cats in rutting time.
2. to utter a similar sound; howl or screech.
3. to quarrel like cats.
–noun Also, cat⋅er⋅waul⋅ing.
4. the cry of a cat in rutting time.
5. any similar sound.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME cater(wawen) (equiv. to cater tomcat (< MD) + wawen to howl, OE wāwan to blow, said of the wind) + waul, var. of wail

Related forms:
cat⋅er⋅waul⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
2. wail, shriek, squawk, yowl.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To caterwauling
cat·er·waul   (kāt'ər-wôl')   
intr.v.   cat·er·wauled, cat·er·waul·ing, cat·er·wauls

  1. To cry or screech like a cat in heat.

  2. To make a shrill, discordant sound.

  3. To have a noisy argument.

n.  A shrill, discordant sound.

[Middle English *caterwawlen : *cater, tomcat; akin to Low German kater + wawlen, wrawlen, to yowl (ultimately of imitative origin).]
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

caterwaul 
c.1386, caterwrawet, perhaps from M.Du. cater "tomcat" + waul "to yowl," apparently from O.E. *wrag, *wrah "angry," of uncertain origin.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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