Yelp
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Definitions
- 1 An abrupt, high-pitched noise or utterance.
"The puppy let out a yelp when I stepped on her tail."
- 2 a sharp high-pitched cry (especially by a dog) wordnet
- 3 A type of emergency vehicle siren sounding quicker and more intense than the wail.
- 1 To utter an abrupt, high-pitched noise.
"The children yelped with delight as they played in the cold water."
- 2 bark in a high-pitched tone wordnet
Antonyms
All antonymsExample
More examples"The dog gave a yelp when I trod on its paw."
Etymology
From Middle English ȝelp, yelp, from Old English ġielp (“boasting, arrogance, pride”), from Proto-West Germanic *gelp, from Proto-Germanic *gelpą (“boasting”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰel- (“to shout”).
From Middle English ȝelpen, yelpen, from Old English ġielpan (“to boast”), from Proto-West Germanic *gelpan, from Proto-Germanic *gelpaną (“to sound off, boast”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰel‑ (“to call, shout, scream”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian jalpe, galpe (“to bleep; cheep”), German Low German galpen (“to scream, shriek, howl”), Middle High German gelpfen, gelpfen (“to roar, howl, bark, boast, sing loudly”).