/ bɔːl; NAmE / verb
1.
bawl (sth) (at sb) | bawl (sth) (out) to shout loudly, especially in an unpleasant or angry way :
[ v ]
She bawled at him in front of everyone.
[ vn ]
He sat in his office bawling orders at his secretary.
[ v speech ]
'Get in here now!' she bawled.
2.
to cry loudly, especially in an unpleasant and annoying way :
[ v ]
A child was bawling in the next room.
[ vn ]
He was bawling his eyes out (= crying very loudly) .
[also v speech ]
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- bawl sb out
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense of (of an animal) howl, bark ): imitative; possibly related to medieval Latin baulare to bark or Icelandic baula to low.