roar
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: enpr: rô
ipa: /ɹɔː/
enpr: rôr
ipa: /ɹoɹ/
note: rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
enpr: rōr
ipa: /ɹo(ː)ɹ/
note: rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
note: non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
ipa: /ɹoə/
rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)
homophone: raw (non-rhotic, horse–hoarse merger)
Forms: form: roars
form: roaring
form: roared
form: roared
Etymology: From Middle English roren, raren, from Old English rārian (“to roar; wail; lament”), from Proto-West Germanic *rairōn, from Proto-Germanic *rairōną (“to bellow; roar”), from Proto-Indo-European *rey- (“to shout; bellow; yell; bark”), perhaps of imitative origin.
Cognate with Saterland Frisian roorje (“to roar”), German röhren (“to roar”).
Senses: examples: text: Sole on the barren ſands the ſuff'ring chief / Roar'd out for anguiſh, and indulg'd his grief.
ref: a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “The First Book of Homer’s Ilias”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume IV, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, →OCLC, page 434:
glosses: To make a loud, deep cry, especially from pain, anger, or other strong emotion.
examples: text: The audience roared at his jokes.
glosses: To laugh in a particularly loud manner.
examples: text: The lioness roared to scare off the hyenas.
text: Roaring bulls he would him make to tame.
ref: 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, , stanzas 6-7, page 14:
glosses: Of animals (especially a lion), to make a loud deep noise.
examples: text: The brazen throat of war had ceased to roar.
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
text: How oft I crossed where carts and coaches roar.
ref: [1716], [John] Gay, “(please specify the page number(s))”, in Trivia: Or, The Art of Walking the Streets of London, London: […] Bernard Lintott, […], →OCLC:
glosses: Generally, of inanimate objects etc., to make a loud resounding noise.
examples: text: United's attempt to extend their unbeaten league sequence to 23 games this season looked to be in shreds as the Seasiders - managed by Ian Holloway - roared into a fully deserved two-goal lead at the interval.
ref: 2011 January 25, Phil McNulty, “Blackpool 2-3 Man Utd”, in BBC:
glosses: To proceed vigorously.
examples: text: This last action will roar thy infamy.
ref: 1639, John Ford, The Lady's Trial:
text: I made a speaking trumpet of my hands and commenced to whoop “Ahoy!” and “Hello!” at the top of my lungs. […] The Colonel woke up, and, after asking what in brimstone was the matter, opened his mouth and roared “Hi!” and “Hello!” like the bull of Bashan.
ref: 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
glosses: To cry aloud; to proclaim loudly.
examples: text: It was a mad, roaring time, full of extravagance.
ref: 1724, Gilbert Burnet, History of My Own Time:
glosses: To be boisterous; to be disorderly.
glosses: To make a loud noise in breathing, as horses do when they have a certain disease.
examples: text: Tom, Tom, the piper's son,
Stole a pig, and away he run!
The pig was eat, and Tom was beat,
And Tom went roaring down the street.
ref: 1886, James Orchard Halliwell, “Third Class: Tales: LX”, in The Nursery Rhymes of England:
glosses: To cry.