Bawl — A Vocabulary Story
Louder Than the Water
Bohdan's class went to see the waterfall on the wettest Tuesday of the year. It did not matter. Miss Shevchenko said waterfalls were better in the rain, and she was right.
They heard it before they saw it, a low roar that grew with every step along the path. By the time they reached the wooden platform, the noise was so enormous that Bohdan could not hear his own feet.
"Stay together," said Miss Shevchenko. At least, that is what her mouth did. No sound came through at all.
Bohdan's friend Olek tapped his shoulder and said something. Bohdan shook his head. Olek said it again, louder. Bohdan still only saw lips moving. So Olek took an enormous breath and bawled it straight into his ear.
Bawl means to shout very loudly, or to cry loudly and noisily. To bawl someone out means to tell them off angrily.
"I said, it is very loud!"
Bohdan laughed so hard he had to hold the rail. Then he had an idea. He turned to the waterfall, filled his chest with wet air and bawled back at it with everything he had.
The waterfall did not even notice.
Soon the whole class was at it, twenty-eight children in soaked raincoats, bawling at a wall of white water that swallowed every single word. Miss Shevchenko gave up trying to stop them and bawled too. Nobody could tell what anyone was saying, and nobody cared.
On the coach home, Bohdan's throat felt scratchy and his ears were still ringing. He whispered to Olek, because whispering was all he had left.
"Best trip ever," he croaked.
Olek nodded. He could not hear a word, but he agreed.
Word Definition
bawl
meaning
to shout or call out loudly and roughly; to cry loudly and noisily; to scold someone angrily; a loud, rough shout or cry
synonyms
yell · shout · roar · howl · wail
antonyms
whisper
example sentence
The sergeant bawled orders across the parade ground.