Definition

1. Noun:

   • A long, loud, often mournful cry: This is the characteristic vocalization of certain animals, particularly canines like wolves or dogs.
   • A similar loud, prolonged sound: This can describe the noise made by strong wind, a siren, or a person expressing intense emotion like pain, anger, or laughter.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To make a long, loud, mournful cry: Used primarily for animals like wolves, dogs, or coyotes.
   • To make a similar loud, prolonged sound: Used for forces like wind or for people expressing strong emotion through their voice.
   • To laugh very loudly and uncontrollably.

3. Verb (transitive):

   • To utter or express with a howl: To say something with a loud, wailing cry.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:

  • The lonely howl of a wolf echoed across the valley.
  • A sudden howl of pain came from the injured player.
  • The comedian's joke was met with howls of laughter from the audience.

• Verb (intransitive):

  • The dogs howl every time they hear a siren.
  • The wind howled around the corners of the old house all night.
  • The baby howled for an hour before finally falling asleep.

• Verb (transitive):

  • "Get out!" he howled in fury.
  • The protesters howled their disapproval at the speaker.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Emotional Intensity: A "howl" is not a neutral sound; it implies a raw, powerful, and often uncontrolled expression of emotion (grief, pain, rage, or even extreme mirth).
• Figurative Use: Can describe any loud, sustained, and desolate-sounding noise.
  • The howl of the jet engines filled the air.
• "Howl with...": A common construction to specify the cause of the sound.
  • to howl with laughter
  • to howl with pain
  • to howl with rage

Variants and Related Words

• Howler (noun):
  • A person or animal that howls.
  • (Informal) A ridiculous and obvious mistake; a blunder.

    • The report was full of factual howlers.
• Howling (adjective/adverb):
  • Producing a howl.

    • a howling wind
  • (Informal) Extreme or great.

    • The party was a howling success.
    • It's howling cold outside.

Synonyms

• Noun: Cry, wail, yowl, bellow, roar, shriek, moan (depending on context).
• Verb: Wail, bawl, yowl, bellow, roar, shriek, moan, ululate.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Phrases

• Howl down (phrasal verb): To prevent a speaker from being heard by shouting loudly and persistently.
  • The angry crowd howled down the politician's speech.
• Howl in protest: To express strong objection with a loud, wailing cry.
  • Fans howled in protest when the referee made the controversial call.

Idioms and Fixed Expressions

• Howl at the moon: To protest or complain in a futile way; to engage in a pointless activity. (Derived from the image of a wolf howling.)
  • Arguing with him is like howling at the moon; he never listens.
• A howling wilderness: A desolate, wild, and uninhabited place.
  • The explorers found themselves in a howling wilderness.

Noun

1. a loud sustained noise resembling the cry of a hound
   • the howl of the wind made him restless
2. the long plaintive cry of a hound or a wolf
3. a long loud emotional utterance
   • he gave a howl of pain
   • howls of laughter
   • their howling had no effect

Verb

1. laugh unrestrainedly and heartily
2. make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles
   • The wind was howling in the trees
   • The water roared down the chute
3. cry loudly, as of animals
   • The coyotes were howling in the desert
4. emit long loud cries
   • wail in self-pity
   • howl with sorrow