Word Study
cooee
CIDE DICTIONARY
cooee, n. [Of imitative origin.].
A peculiar cry uttered by the Australian aborigines as a call to attract attention, and also in common use among the Australian colonists. In the actual call the first syllable is much prolonged (kcooee is generally used.
cooee, v. i.
To call out cooee.
"I cooeyed and beckoned them to approach." [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
cooee, n., int., & v. colloq.
--n. & int. a sound used to attract attention, esp. at a distance.
--v.intr. (cooees, cooeed, cooeeing) make this sound.
--n. & int. a sound used to attract attention, esp. at a distance.
--v.intr. (cooees, cooeed, cooeeing) make this sound.
Idiom
within cooee (or a cooee) of Austral. & NZ colloq. very near to.
Etymology
imit. of a signal used by Australian Aboriginals and copied by settlers
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