to keen
2
9.7
- verb
- /kiːn/
- Archaic
- His fists clenched, and he keened without sound, caught in unwanted memories, physical and emotional.
- keening sound
- keening wail
- keening moan
Examples
-
The mourners began to keen as the funeral procession arrived at the cemetery.
-
She sat on the floor, keening loudly for her lost loved one, her sorrow filling the room.
-
Is that any way to keen over the death of our father?
-
A wounded woman sat keening on the ground, the body of her dead child clasped in her arms.
Academic text (2011) -
Here again, it is my mother's reactions that stay more acutely with me, her keening moan of desperation, her see-what-you've-done-now despair.
Fiction book (1992) -
As the news of his passing spread, a deep keen rose from the crowd gathered outside.
Synonyms
199
3.0
Feel or show deep sadness after someone dies
156
3.8
To feel very sad because of a loss
72
3.2
To make a long loud cry because you are hurt or very sad
63
5.0
To show or say that you feel sad about something
2
5.2
To feel deep sadness after a loss
2
9.6
To show deep sadness and regret about something
Compounds
How Mournful
Surface Forms
Etymology
Keen as a verb comes from the Irish root caoineadh meaning 'to cry', so to keen is to wail or cry loudly for someone who has died.