bleat

bleat
[[t]bli͟ːt[/t]]
bleats, bleating, bleated
1) VERB When a sheep or goat bleats, it makes the sound that sheep and goats typically make.

From the slope below, the wild goats bleated faintly.

[V-ing] ...a small flock of bleating ewes and lambs.

N-COUNT
Bleat is also a noun.

...the faint bleat of a distressed animal.

2) VERB If someone bleats, they speak in a weak, high voice. [WRITTEN]

[V with quote] `I don't want it,' Eric bleated.

N-COUNT
Bleat is also a noun.

She wanted to scream, but all that would come out was this faint bleat.

3) VERB (disapproval) If you say that someone bleats about something, you mean that they complain about it in a way which makes them sound weak and irritating.

[V about n] They are always bleating about `unfair' foreign competition...

[V prep/adv] Don't come bleating to me every time something goes wrong. [Also V that]

Phrasal Verbs:
Syn:
whinge, whine

English dictionary. 2008.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • bleat´er — bleat «bleet», noun, verb. –n. 1. the cry made by a sheep, goat, or calf: »The shepherd heard the bleat of the lost lamb over the hill. 2. a sound like this: »The victim gave a bleat of terror. ╂[< verb] –v.i. 1. to make the cry of a sheep,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Bleat — Bleat, n. A plaintive cry of, or like that of, a sheep. [1913 Webster] The bleat of fleecy sheep. Chapman s Homer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Bleat — Bleat, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Bleated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Bleating}.] [OE. bleten, AS. bl?tan; akin to D. blaten, bleeten, OHG. bl[=a]zan, pl[=a]zan; prob. of imitative origin.] To make the noise of, or one like that of, a sheep; to cry like a sheep …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bleat — bleat·er; bleat·ing·ly; bleat; …   English syllables

  • bleat|y — «BLEE tee», adjective, bleat|i|er, bleat|i|est. bleating; whining: »a bleaty tenor …   Useful english dictionary

  • bleat — [bli:t] v [: Old English; Origin: blAtan] 1.) to make the sound that a sheep or goat makes 2.) [i]informal to complain in a silly or annoying way ▪ But I ve only just got here, bleated Simon. >bleat n …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • bleat — ► VERB 1) (of a sheep or goat) make a weak, wavering cry. 2) speak or complain in a weak or foolish way. ► NOUN ▪ a bleating sound. ORIGIN Old English …   English terms dictionary

  • bleat — [blēt] vi. [ME bleten < OE blætan: see BLEAR] 1. to make its characteristic cry: said of a sheep, goat, or calf 2. to make a sound like this cry 3. to speak foolishly, whiningly, or querulously vt. to say or express in a bleating voice n. 1 …   English World dictionary

  • bleat — {{11}}bleat (n.) c.1500, from BLEAT (Cf. bleat) (v.). {{12}}bleat (v.) O.E. blætan, from W.Germanic *bhle (Cf. Du. blaten to bleat ), of imitative origin (Cf. Gk. blekhe a bleating; the wailing of children, O.C.S. blejat to bleat, L. flere to… …   Etymology dictionary

  • bleat — I UK [bliːt] / US [blɪt] verb Word forms bleat : present tense I/you/we/they bleat he/she/it bleats present participle bleating past tense bleated past participle bleated 1) [intransitive] to make the sound that a sheep or goat makes 2) a)… …   English dictionary

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