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bray

1
[ brey ]
/ breɪ /
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noun
the loud, harsh cry of a donkey.
any similar loud, harsh sound.
verb (used without object)
to utter a loud and harsh cry, as a donkey.
to make a loud, harsh, disagreeable sound.
verb (used with object)
to utter with a loud, harsh sound, like a donkey.
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Origin of bray

1
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

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bray

braid, brayed

Words nearby bray

brawny, Braxton-Hicks contraction, Braxton Hicks contractions, Braxton Hicks sign, braxy, bray, brayer, Braz., braza, braze, Brazelton

Other definitions for bray (2 of 2)

bray2
[ brey ]
/ breɪ /
verb (used with object)
to pound or crush fine, as in a mortar.
Printing. to thin (ink) on a slate before placing on the ink plate of a press.

Origin of bray

2
1350–1400; Middle English brayen<Anglo-French bra(i)er,Old French broier<Germanic; see break
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

Words related to bray

neigh, yell

How to use bray in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bray (1 of 2)

bray1
/ (breɪ) /
verb
(intr) (of a donkey) to utter its characteristic loud harsh sound; heehaw
(intr) to make a similar sound, as in laughinghe brayed at the joke
(tr) to utter with a loud harsh sound
noun
the loud harsh sound uttered by a donkey
a similar loud cry or uproara bray of protest

Derived forms of bray

brayer, noun

Word Origin for bray

C13: from Old French braire, probably of Celtic origin

British Dictionary definitions for bray (2 of 2)

bray2
/ (breɪ) /
verb
(tr) to distribute (ink) over printing type or plates
(tr) to pound into a powder, as in a mortar
Northern English dialect to hit or beat (someone or something) hard; bang

Derived forms of bray

brayer, noun

Word Origin for bray

C14: from Old French breier of Germanic origin; see break
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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