Word Study
bleat
CIDE DICTIONARY
bleat, v. i. [OE. bleten, AS. bltan; akin to D. blaten, bleeten, OHG. blāzan, plāzan; prob. of imitative origin.].
To make the noise of, or one like that of, a sheep; to cry like a sheep or calf. [1913 Webster]
"Then suddenly was heard along the main,
To low the ox, to bleat the woolly train." [1913 Webster]
To low the ox, to bleat the woolly train." [1913 Webster]
"The ewe that will not hear her lamb when it baas, will never answer a calf when he bleats." [1913 Webster]
bleat, n.
A plaintive cry of, or like that of, a sheep. [1913 Webster]
"The bleat of fleecy sheep." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
bleat, v. & n.
--v.
1 intr. (of a sheep, goat, or calf) make a weak, wavering cry.
2 intr. & tr. (often foll. by out) speak or say feebly, foolishly, or plaintively.
--n.
1 the sound made by a sheep, goat, etc.
2 a weak, plaintive, or foolish cry.
--v.
1 intr. (of a sheep, goat, or calf) make a weak, wavering cry.
2 intr. & tr. (often foll. by out) speak or say feebly, foolishly, or plaintively.
--n.
1 the sound made by a sheep, goat, etc.
2 a weak, plaintive, or foolish cry.
Derivative
bleater n. bleatingly adv.
Etymology
OE bl{aelig}tan (imit.)
THESAURUS
bleat
bark, bawl, bay, beef, bell, bellow, bellyache, bitch, blare, blat, blate, blow off, bray, call, caterwaul, crab, cry, fuss, give tongue, give voice, howl, low, meow, mew, mewl, miaow, moo, neigh, nicker, pule, roar, screak, scream, screech, squall, squawk, squeak, squeal, troat, ululate, wail, whicker, whine, whinny, yammer, yap, yawl, yawp, yelp, yip, yowlROGET THESAURUS
bleat
Ululation
VB cry, roar, bellow, blare, rebellow, growl, snarl, bark, bow-wow, yelp, bay, bay at the moon, yap, yip, yipe, growl, yarr, yawl, snarl, howl, grunt, gruntle, snort, squeak neigh, whinny, bray, mew, mewl, meow, purr, caterwaul, pule, baa, bleat, low, moo, troat, croak, peep, coo, gobble, quack, honk, gaggle, guggle, crow, caw, squawk, screech cackle, cluck, clack, chuck, chuckle, hoot, hoo, chirp, cheep, chirrup, twitter, cuckoo, warble, trill, tweet, pipe, whistle, hum, buzz, hiss, blatter, ratatat.For further exploring for "bleat" in Webster Dictionary Online