cooee

American  

[koo-ee] / ˈku i /

noun

1. a prolonged, shrill, clear call or cry used as a signal by Aboriginal inhabitants of Australia and adopted by the settlers in the country.

---

verb (used without object)

cooeed, cooeeing

1. to utter the call “cooee.”

cooee British  

/ ˈkuːiː /

interjection

1. a call used to attract attention, esp (originally) a long loud high-pitched call on two notes used in the Australian bush

---

verb

1. (intr) to utter this call

noun

1. informal calling distance (esp in the phrase within ( a ) cooee ( of ))

Etymology

Origin of cooee

First recorded in 1780–90, cooee is from the Dharuk word gu-wī

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cooee cooeed cooeeing

Up through the ferns came the thin note of Miss Bibby’s cooee.

From In the Mist of the Mountains by Macfarlane, J.

This Colony can't come within a cooee of you with the beer, and I'm the first to own it!

From At Large by Hornung, E. W. (Ernest William)

One instance each of A-1 and A1, and cooee and coo-e-e were retained.

From The Jolliest School of All by Brazil, Angela

She'd see a joke a mile off; sighted 'em as soon as they got within cooee.

From We of the Never-Never by Gunn, Jeannie

So we lay these weeks within cooee of a nest of our enemies, who were permitted the safety and comfort of a peaceful home almost within our lines.

From "Over There" with the Australians by Knyvett, R. Hugh (Reginald Hugh)

I hallooed and cooeed as loudly as I could, but the wind was in the wrong direction and carried my voice away, and the stream was noisy, so I couldn't make them hear me.

From For the School Colours by Brazil, Angela

I dismounted and cooeed; they answered; but when they saw me, they took such of their things as they could and crossed to the opposite side of the river in great hurry and confusion.

From Journal of an Overland Expedition in Australia : from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, a distance of upwards of 3000 miles, during the years 1844-1845 by Leichhardt, Ludwig

The chums called, whistled, halloed, and cooeed until they were hoarse, but not a soul took the slightest notice.

From The Madcap of the School by Salmon, Balliol

Once they were out of sight Peachy cooeed for Jess and Irene, who appeared bursting with laughter and demanding details, having witnessed the rout of the enemy from a distance.

From The Jolliest School of All by Brazil, Angela

After a little time I missed the boy, and cooeed for him.

From Reminiscences of Queensland 1862-1869 by Corfield, W. H. (William Henry)

Search-parties cooeeing to each other about the Bush, and lighting signal-fires.

From Joe Wilson and His Mates by Lawson, Henry