Wailed: meaning, definitions and examples

Etymology

• 'Wailed' comes from the Old English word 'wæilan,' which means to cry out or lament.
• The word can be traced back to Germanic roots, showing its long history in describing sorrowful sounds.
• The pronunciation has remained relatively unchanged for hundreds of years, indicating its persistent use in language.

Psychology

• Crying and wailing can be a form of emotional release, helping to cope with grief or loss.
• Studies show that vocalizing feelings through wailing can sometimes facilitate emotional processing and healing.
• Wailing can differ across cultures, often reflecting the community's rituals surrounding death or mourning.

Cultural Practices

• In some cultures, professional mourners are hired to wail at funerals, expressing grief publicly.
• Certain music styles, such as blues and traditional folk, often feature wailing as a powerful expression of deep emotion.
• The 'wail' of sirens in emergencies can symbolize urgency and danger, impacting how we respond emotionally to crises.

Literature

• Wailing is commonly used in poetry to convey profound sorrow, often evoking empathy from the reader.
• In classic literature, wails can represent the voice of nature reacting to human suffering, as seen in works like Shakespeare’s tragedies.
• The motif of wailing often appears as a cry for justice or help in stories, highlighting significant themes of loss and struggle.

Pop Culture

• Songs that include wail-like vocals often resonate with listeners, capturing raw emotion effectively.
• In movies, the sound of wailing can amplify tense or dramatic moments, enhancing the emotional impact of a scene.
• Popular grieving scenes in films often feature characters wailing, reinforcing the portrayal of deep sorrow.

Positioned at #20,831, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.

• ...
• 20828 demesne
• 20829 louse
• 20830 airing
• 20831 wailed
• 20832 exec
• 20833 whitewashed
• 20834 juxtaposed
• ...