Origin of bawl

1400–50; late Middle English < Medieval Latin baulāre to bark < Germanic; compare Old Norse baula to low, baula cow, perhaps a conflation of belja (see bell2) with an old root *bhu-

OTHER WORDS FROM bawl

bawl·er, noun out·bawl, verb (used with object)

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bawl

bald balled bawled ball bawl bowl

Words nearby bawl

bawcock, bawd, bawdry, bawdy, bawdyhouse, bawl, bawl out, bawn, bawneen, bax, baxter

Words related to bawl out

berate, castigate, punish, reprimand, scold, upbraid

British Dictionary definitions for bawl out (1 of 2)

bawl out

verb

(tr, adverb) informal to scold loudly

British Dictionary definitions for bawl out (2 of 2)

bawl
/ (bɔːl) /

verb

(intr) to utter long loud cries, as from pain or frustration; wail
to shout loudly, as in anger

noun

a loud shout or cry

Derived forms of bawl

bawler, noun bawling, noun

Word Origin for bawl

C15: probably from Icelandic baula to low; related to Medieval Latin baulāre to bark, Swedish böla to low; all of imitative origin

Idioms and Phrases with bawl out

bawl out
1

Call out loudly, announce, as in Some of the players were quite hard of hearing, so the rector bawled out the bingo numbers. [1500s]

2

Scold or reprimand loudly, as in Her teacher was always bawling out the class for not paying attention. [c. 1900]