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to caw

to caw

6 7.1
To make a harsh, loud cry like a crow or raven
  • verb
  • /kɔ/
translation icon : graznar
  • Behind the house, a crow cawed irritably as the rains began.
  • crow cawed
  • bird cawed
  • seagull cawed

Examples

  • I heard a crow caw repeatedly from the tree outside my window this morning.

  • A family of large crows swoops down, cawing through the trees.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Then the crow cawed in what for him was a laugh.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • I scream and cackle and caw with them as they sit on my garden fence.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Caw, caw, caw!

  • As he raised his eyes, the crow cawed again, even more irritably now.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Water sloshed below and seabirds cawed and sailed back and forth in the cool air.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • A couple of crows cawed over their heads and perched on the shovel and pick in the truck.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Crows cawed, and locusts, heated by the sun, cut loose their shrill, wavering cries.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • As the sun began to set, the crows started to caw loudly, waking up the neighborhood.

Synonyms

to screech
vsto caw
86 4.0

To make a loud, high, sharp sound that startles people

is a rough bird cry rather than a purely high-pitched sound
to shriek
vsto caw
72 2.9

To make a loud high sound often because of fear, pain or excitement

is a harsh animal call, not an emotional human scream
to squawk
vsto caw
16 4.7

To make a loud, harsh cry like a bird

is the narrower harsh crow cry rather than general abrupt cries
to squall
vsto caw
2 7.2

To make a loud high sound like a baby or bird

focuses on a crow's harsh cry rather than any loud cry
to kaw
vsto caw
9.9

To make a loud, harsh sound like a crow

is the same sound but spelled differently
to cronk
vsto caw
  • UK
9.9

To make a loud harsh croaking sound like a goose

is a sharper crow cry rather than a croak or honk
to screak
vsto caw
  • UK
9.9

To make a short, high, harsh sound like an owl or old gate

is a rough bird cry instead of a purely shrill sound
to yawp
vsto caw
9.9

Make a loud, rough sound like a shout to show anger or complaint

is a specific animal harsh cry, not a raucous complaint

How Harsh

to screech
86 4.0
to caw
6 7.1
to cry
342 1.0

Surface Forms

caw infinitive
cawed past
cawed past participle
cawing present participle
caws third person singular

Etymology

Caw is a word that copies the crow's cry 'caw', so it names both the sound and the action. That is why to caw means 'to make a harsh, rough call' like a crow.