caw

[kaw]

See more synonyms for caw on Thesaurus.com

noun

the harsh, grating cry of the crow, raven, etc.

verb (used without object)

to utter this cry or a similar sound.

Origin of caw

First recorded in 1580–90; imitative

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for cawing

Contemporary Examples

If your 11-year-old mocks you by making a cawing voice, upturn his dinner plate and mock his mocking voice.
It’s Not Just the Vaccines. Jenny McCarthy’s New Book Offers More ‘Lessons’
Tim Teeman
April 28, 2014
I love the rainy windy days of fall when thousands of crows populate the near landscape, cawing and scowling.
How I Write: Erik Larson Revisits ‘Isaac’s Storm’
Noah Charney
October 31, 2012

Historical Examples

And in one tree sat a raven, beating his wings and cawing loudly.
The Chinese Fairy Book
Various
I listened, and heard the cawing of rooks, the neighing of horses, and the lowing of cattle.
The Birthright
Joseph Hocking
At intervals they all rise in the air, and wheel about, all cawing at once.
Bird Stories from Burroughs
John Burroughs
So back they came, cawing at the top of their lungs, for they were very much excited.
Blacky the Crow
Thornton W. Burgess
Never had Blacky felt more like cawing at the top of his lungs.
Blacky the Crow
Thornton W. Burgess

British Dictionary definitions for cawing

caw

noun

the cry of a crow, rook, or raven

verb

(intr) to make this cry

Word Origin

C16: of imitative origin

CAW

abbreviation for

Canadian Auto Workers (trade union)

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

Word Origin and History for cawing

caw

n.

1660s, from caw (v.).

caw

v.

"make a sound like a crow, raven, etc.," 1580s, imitative. Related: Cawed; cawing.

caw

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}caw

Examples from the Web for cawing

Contemporary Examples

If your 11-year-old mocks you by making a cawing voice, upturn his dinner plate and mock his mocking voice.

I love the rainy windy days of fall when thousands of crows populate the near landscape, cawing and scowling.

Historical Examples

And in one tree sat a raven, beating his wings and cawing loudly.

I listened, and heard the cawing of rooks, the neighing of horses, and the lowing of cattle.

At intervals they all rise in the air, and wheel about, all cawing at once.

So back they came, cawing at the top of their lungs, for they were very much excited.

Never had Blacky felt more like cawing at the top of his lungs.

caw

Word Origin

CAW

Word Origin and History for cawing

caw

n.

caw

v.

Origin of caw