caterwauling
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈkætəwɔːlɪŋ/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈkætɚˌwɔlɪŋ/, /-ˌwɑ-/, [-ɾɚ-]
- Hyphenation: cat‧er‧waul‧ing
Noun[edit]
caterwauling (plural caterwaulings)
- gerund of caterwaul: a sound that caterwauls.
- 1762 December 8 (first performance), [Isaac Bickerstaffe], Love in a Village; a Comic Opera. […], 4th edition, London: […] W. Griffin; for J[ohn] Newbery, and W. Nicoll, […]; G[eorge] Kearsley, […]; T[homas] Davies, […]; and J. Walter, […], published 1763, →OCLC, Act II, scene ii, page 26:
- VVhy, here is nothing in the vvorld in this houſe but catter-vvavvling from morning till night, nothing but catter-vvavvling. Hoity toity! vvho have vve here?
- 1918, Eleanor H. Porter, Oh, Money! Money!:
- Now, I like a good tune what is a tune; but them caterwaulings and dirges that that chap Gray plays on that fiddle of his—gorry, Mr. Smith, I'd rather hear the old barn door at home squeak any day.
Verb[edit]
caterwauling
- present participle and gerund of caterwaul