Bleat Definition

blēt
bleated, bleating, bleats
noun
bleats
The cry of a sheep, goat, or calf.
Webster's New World
Any sound or utterance like this.
Webster's New World
A whining, feeble complaint.
American Heritage
verb
bleated, bleating, bleats
To make its characteristic cry.
Webster's New World
To say or express in a bleating voice.
Webster's New World
To make a sound like this cry.
Webster's New World
To utter in a whining way.
American Heritage
To speak foolishly, whiningly, or querulously.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:

Origin of Bleat

  • From Middle English bleten, from Old English blǣtan (“to bleat”), from Proto-Germanic *blētijaną (“to bleat”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlē- (“to howl, cry, bleat”). Cognate with Scots blete, bleit (“to bleat”), Saterland Frisian blēte, blētsje (“to bleat”), Dutch blaten, bleten (“to bleat”), Low German bleten (“to bleat”), German blaßen, blässen (“to bleat”); cf. Greek blekhe, Old Church Slavonic blejat, and also Latin fleō (“cry, weep”).

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English blet from bleten to bleat from Old English blǣtan

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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