bray
/brei/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- The loud, harsh cry of a donkey: A bray is the characteristic sound made by a donkey, often described as a loud "hee-haw."
Verb:
- To make the loud, harsh cry of a donkey: When an animal, typically a donkey, brays, it emits its characteristic cry.
- To laugh or speak in a loud, harsh, and unpleasant manner: To bray can describe a person making a sound that is similarly loud, grating, and lacking in refinement.
- To crush or grind something into small pieces, especially by pounding: This is a more archaic or technical meaning, referring to the action of pulverizing a substance.
Examples of Usage
Noun:
- The sudden bray of the donkey startled the hikers.
- We could hear the bray of a mule from the neighboring farm.
Verb (animal sound):
- The donkey began to bray at dawn.
- Why does that mule bray every time it sees me?
Verb (human sound):
- He brayed with laughter at his own joke, annoying everyone at the table.
- The politician brayed his slogans through the megaphone.
Verb (to crush/grind):
- You must bray the seeds in a mortar before adding them to the mixture. (Note: "pound" or "grind" are more common in modern usage.)
Advanced Usage
- "to bray about": to proclaim or complain about something in a loud, obnoxious way.
- He's always braying about his political opinions on social media.
Variants and Related Words
- Brayer (noun): A person or thing that brays. (Rarely used).
- Braying (noun/adjective): The act or sound of braying; making a sound like a bray.
- The constant braying was unbearable.
Synonyms
- For the animal sound: hee-haw
- For a loud, harsh laugh or voice: roar, guffaw, blare
- For crushing/grinding: pound, pulverize, mash, grind, crush
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Bray out: To utter or proclaim something in a loud, harsh voice.
- The sergeant brayed out the orders to the new recruits.
Related Idioms
- None commonly associated directly with "bray." The word itself is often used figuratively to criticize an unpleasant, loud voice or laugh.
Noun
- the cry of an ass
Verb
- laugh loudly and harshly
- reduce to small pieces or particles by pounding or abrading
- grind the spices in a mortar
- mash the garlic
- braying characteristic of donkeys