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 yelped as black liquid oozed from the open wound and a hairy white spider crept out and skittered away.

From Literature

Someone tapped his shoulder, and, still on guard against zombies and killer dolls, he yelped.

From Literature

As he tried to catch it, he banged into the side of the sink and yelped.

From Literature

Dodger shook himself, spraying Akira and Sue and making them yelp.

From Literature

Our timing couldn’t have been better, because in those few moments when all eyes turned from the brawny brawlers to our yelping thief, the crowd suddenly realized they’d been had.

From Literature

Related Words

• hoot