pule

American  

[pyool] / pyul /

verb (used without object)

puled, puling

1. to cry in a thin voice; whine; whimper.

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pule British  

/ pjuːl /

verb

1. (intr) to cry plaintively; whimper

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Other Word Forms

• puler noun

Etymology

Origin of pule

First recorded in 1525–35; perhaps imitative

Explanation

To pule is to cry, but not loudly. Puling is weak, soft crying. It's a pathetic sound. Unfortunately, there are many ways to cry. You can bawl, which is loud crying. On the other end of the spectrum, you can pule. When you pule, you're crying weakly at a low volume. When dogs are scared, they often pule. Children sometimes pule when they don't get their way. People pule when they're sad, frightened, heartbroken, or tired. People pule when they don't have the energy to cry louder.

Example Sentences

We pule again, and then we line up to scoop food onto our plates.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Once everyone is present, Tūtū opens us with a pule, prayer.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

We had become quite familiar with the native sentence, "E pule kakou"—"Let us pray."

From Scenes in the Hawaiian Islands and California by Anderson, Mary E. (Mary Evarts)

The trout plunged and flounced over the shallow water, got into another deep pule, and ran into the bank, in the hollow of twa big stanes that were lying there.

From The Genius of Scotland or Sketches of Scottish Scenery, Literature and Religion by Turnbull, Robert

Let pessimists potter and pule, and let savages slaughter and harry; Give me Hendry, and Tammas, and Jess, and a smile, and a tear born of Barrie.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 104, February 25, 1893 by Burnand, F. C. (Francis Cowley), Sir