Monday, July 17, 2006

Word of the day

Bawl.

9 comments:

Dan said...

Isn't that a word from the deep south of the states:

"Ya'll took my bawl"

Alan said...

We use it all the time here in Ireland.

"Sean fell and hurt his knee and started bawling crying."

Yes, we do realise that, in effect, we just said

"Sean fell and hurt his knee and started crying crying."

Juggerpix said...

Seems like we use to refer to some kids as bawl babies. Ok, ok... I was referred to as a bawl baby.

Dictionary.com kicks ass.

PJS said...

Darn, Juggerpix beat me to it. Your post just reminded me that my mother and aunt used to admonish me not to "be a bawlbaby" if something disturbed me, didn't go my way, or generally vexed me.

I had entirely forgotten this. I thought it was, perhaps, a regional, Arizona-type thing, as I've never heard it since. Til now.

A Novelist said...

It's so damn hot & humid in NYC that I want to BAWL!

PJS said...

I think the proper American "Deep South" usage is "I'm going to 'bawl' me some shrimp", or "I'd like a soft-bawled egg".

See also "bob-war fence".

Minge said...

I like bawl. It's so much more expressive than cry.

Moncrief Speaks said...

It is indeed a great word of Middle English origin, the kind of eccentric, concise word that makes the English language so cool.

Minge said...

But not as cool as you, Moncrief.