bray

¹ American  

[brey] / breɪ /

noun

1. the loud, harsh cry of a donkey.

2. any similar loud, harsh sound.

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verb (used without object)

1. to utter a loud and harsh cry, as a donkey.

2. to make a loud, harsh, disagreeable sound.

verb (used with object)

1. to utter with a loud, harsh sound, like a donkey.

bray ² American  

[brey] / breɪ /

verb (used with object)

1. to pound or crush fine, as in a mortar.

2. Printing. to thin (ink) on a slate before placing on the ink plate of a press.

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bray ¹ British  

/ breɪ /

verb

1. (intr) (of a donkey) to utter its characteristic loud harsh sound; heehaw

2. (intr) to make a similar sound, as in laughing

   he brayed at the joke

3. (tr) to utter with a loud harsh sound

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noun

1. the loud harsh sound uttered by a donkey

2. a similar loud cry or uproar

   a bray of protest

bray ² British  

/ breɪ /

verb

1. (tr) to distribute (ink) over printing type or plates

2. (tr) to pound into a powder, as in a mortar

3. dialect to hit or beat (someone or something) hard; bang

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Other Word Forms

• brayer noun

Etymology

Origin of bray¹

1250–1300; Middle English brayen < Old French braire to cry out (cognate with Medieval Latin bragīre to neigh) < Celtic; compare Old Irish braigid (he) breaks wind

Origin of bray²

1350–1400; Middle English brayen < Anglo-French bra ( i ) er, Old French broier < Germanic; break

Example Sentences

But in 2020, a braying satire of failure would be crass and too close to the reality we’re intent on tuning out; besides, we wanted the comfort of the familiar.

From Salon

“You’d best leave this mule alone, Flora,” I scolded, raising my voice to be heard over Lucky Pete’s piteous braying and hiccupping.

From Literature

And who is calling their agent, doing a different sort of braying?

From Los Angeles Times

As if to punctuate his asinine decision, Marin makes a braying donkey noise.

From Los Angeles Times

As they squawked and brayed, a narrator said: “This year, they march in protest. They are peaceful. They are flightless. But they are certainly not voiceless.”

From Los Angeles Times