bray
1 Americannoun
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the loud, harsh cry of a donkey.
-
any similar loud, harsh sound.
verb (used without object)
-
to utter a loud and harsh cry, as a donkey.
-
to make a loud, harsh, disagreeable sound.
verb (used with object)
verb (used with object)
-
to pound or crush fine, as in a mortar.
-
Printing. to thin (ink) on a slate before placing on the ink plate of a press.
verb
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(intr) (of a donkey) to utter its characteristic loud harsh sound; heehaw
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(intr) to make a similar sound, as in laughing
he brayed at the joke
-
(tr) to utter with a loud harsh sound
noun
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the loud harsh sound uttered by a donkey
-
a similar loud cry or uproar
a bray of protest
verb
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(tr) to distribute (ink) over printing type or plates
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(tr) to pound into a powder, as in a mortar
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dialect to hit or beat (someone or something) hard; bang
Other Word Forms
- brayer noun
Etymology
Origin of bray1
1250–1300; Middle English brayen < Old French braire to cry out (cognate with Medieval Latin bragīre to neigh) < Celtic; compare Old Irish braigid (he) breaks wind
Origin of bray2
1350–1400; Middle English brayen < Anglo-French bra ( i ) er, Old French broier < Germanic; break
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I fed Milk and Nothing and the chickens, and they all bleated and brayed and clucked at me for more.
From Literature
But in 2020, a braying satire of failure would be crass and too close to the reality we’re intent on tuning out; besides, we wanted the comfort of the familiar.
From Salon
“You’d best leave this mule alone, Flora,” I scolded, raising my voice to be heard over Lucky Pete’s piteous braying and hiccupping.
From Literature
And who is calling their agent, doing a different sort of braying?
From Los Angeles Times
As if to punctuate his asinine decision, Marin makes a braying donkey noise.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
