keening

Pluralkeenings (some meanings)

1. 1
   noununcountable

   Loud, sad crying that people make after someone they love has died.

   Like the long, sad cry someone makes when they hear very bad news.

   The keening from the next room told them their grandmother had passed.

   Her keening filled the small church all through the funeral.

   Similarwailing, lamentation, lament, weeping

   Note
2. 2
   verb

   Present participle of keen. Use this form for the act of crying out loud in grief, happening now.

   The women were keening beside the open grave.

   We could hear her keening from across the village.

   Note
3. 3
   nouncountable or uncountable

   A loud, unpleasant sound, like someone wailing.

   Like the sharp sound a kettle makes when the water boils.

   The keening of the wind kept us awake all night.

   A high keening came from the rusty old gate.

   Similarwhine, screech, squeal, shriek, wailing

   Note
4. 4
   adjective

   Very high and sharp, used especially about a sound.

   Like the sharp, high sound of a whistle blown hard.

   The keening whistle of the train hurt our ears.

   A keening cry came from somewhere in the dark woods.

   Similarshrill, piercing, high-pitched

   Note

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