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

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 R. Hugh (Reginald Hugh) Knyvett

And in another minute his soft "cooee" told his comrades that he had, sure enough, found the missing mark.

From Camp Fires of the Wolf Patrol by Alan Douglas

"They can't be far," I say reassuringly, and give a loud cooee, but there is no response.

From Round the Wonderful World by A. S. (Archibald Stevenson) Forrest

On page 68, the word "looee" was replaced with "cooee".

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

Then looked a little troubled, for cooee was to be interpreted that all was well.

From In the Mist of the Mountains by J. Macfarlane

I could hear him at night sometimes felling trees for exercise, and occasionally he would answer me when I cooeed.

From Missing Friends Being the Adventures of a Danish Emigrant in Queensland (1871-1880) by Thorvald Weitemeyer

He cooeed to the boy, who came up from one of the lower shelves of garden, and she followed him into the hall.

From Nobody's Man by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim

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

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

I cooeed, which disturbed the dogs of the camp; but the cold wind blew so strong from the east, that I feared Charley would either not hear my cooee, or I not his.

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 Ludwig Leichhardt

Charlie pulled up in front of the house, and cooeed.

From Outback Marriage, an : a story of Australian life by A. B. (Andrew Barton) Paterson

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

From Joe Wilson and His Mates by Henry Lawson