bellow

See also: Bellow

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English belwen, from Old English bylgian, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (to sound, roar), whence also belg (leather bag), bellan (to roar), blāwan (to blow). Cognate with German bellen (to bark), Russian бле́ять (bléjatʹ, baa, bleat).

Pronunciation

  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈbɛloʊ/
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈbɛləʊ/
  • Rhymes: -ɛləʊ
  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

bellow (plural bellows)

The bellow of an elk
  1. The deep roar of a large animal, or any similar loud noise.

Translations

Verb

bellow (third-person singular simple present bellows, present participle bellowing, simple past and past participle bellowed)

  1. To make a loud, deep, hollow noise like the roar of an angry bull.
    • 1697, Virgil, “The First Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. [], London: [] Jacob Tonson, [], →OCLC:
      the bellowing voice of boiling seas
  2. To shout in a deep voice.
    • 2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport[1]:
      Then, as the Sunderland fans' cheers bellowed around the stadium, United's title bid was over when it became apparent City had pinched a last-gasp winner to seal their first title in 44 years.

Derived terms

Translations