yelp

American  

[yelp] / yɛlp /

verb (used without object)

1. to give a quick, sharp, shrill cry, as a dog or fox.

2. to call or cry out sharply.

   The boy yelped in pain when the horse stepped on his foot.

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verb (used with object)

1. to utter or express by or as if by yelping.

noun

1. a quick, sharp bark or cry.

yelp British  

/ jɛlp /

verb

1. (esp of a dog) to utter a sharp or high-pitched cry or bark, often indicating pain

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noun

1. a sharp or high-pitched cry or bark

Other Word Forms

• outyelp verb (used with object)
• yelper noun

Etymology

Origin of yelp

before 900; (v.) Middle English yelpen, Old English gielpan to boast; cognate with Low German galpen to croak; (noun) Middle English: boasting, Old English gielp, derivative of the v.

Example Sentences

She stood and yelped, then placed her hands to her left cheek in a purely American gesture, mimicking NBA star Steph Curry’s “Night, night.”

From Los Angeles Times

But immediately—even as I hear gasps from the class and someone yelps—he’s apologizing to me.

From Literature

This provoked yelps from technocrats who said it was impractical and superfluous.

From The Wall Street Journal

Autumn yelps, before grabbing Woo’s tail and pulling the aboatia behind the desk.

From Literature

It made Penelope drowsy, and when the driver shouted and pulled the troika swiftly and hard to the rutted edge of the road, it startled her into a yelp.

From Literature

Related Words

• hoot