yelp — to give a short, sharp cry, especially of pain or alarm
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to give a short, sharp cry, especially of pain or alarm
Pronunciation (IPA): /jelp/
Example Sentences
- The student let out a yelp when the teacher announced a surprise test
- She yelped as the cold water hit her back
- The comedian's joke made the audience member yelp with laughter
yelp
VERB[/jelp/]
to give a short, sharp cry, especially of pain or alarm
The puppy let out a sharp yelp when its tail got stepped on.
When the whelp starts to yelp, mama comes to help!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Yelp derives from Old English 'giellan', meaning 'to yell' or 'to shout'. Through Middle English evolution, the word developed onomatopoetic qualities, coming to specifically denote sudden, sharp cries characteristic of animals such as dogs.
Breakdown
Old English 'giellan' (to yell/shout) → Middle English 'yellen' → Modern English 'yelp'. The shift from giellan to yelp involved sound changes typical of English phonetic development, with the word retaining its vocalization root while narrowing to express sharp, abrupt cries.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The student let out a yelp when the teacher announced a surprise test”
“She yelped as the cold water hit her back”
“The comedian's joke made the audience member yelp with laughter”
“He yelped when he saw his credit card bill”
📚Related Words
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