'For as soon as I heard Tewkesbury tell of screams and wailings in the air, and no one to be seen,' said Elzevir, 'I guessed that some poor soul had got shut in the vault, and was there crying for his life.
vocally expressing grief or sorrow or resembling such expression; "lamenting sinners"; "wailing mourners"; "the wailing wind"; "wailful bagpipes"; "tangle her desires with wailful sonnets"- Shakespeare
the Wailing Wall a high stone wall in Jerusalem where Jews go to pray. It is the only remaining part of the ancient Temple of Jerusalem, which was destroyed in AD70
If someone wails, they make long, loud, high-pitched cries which express sorrow or pain. The women began to wail in mourning. a mother wailing for her lost child. Wail is also a noun. Wails of grief were heard as visitors filed past the site of the disaster
If something such as a siren or an alarm wails, it makes a long, loud, high-pitched sound. Police cars, their sirens wailing, accompanied the lorries Wail is also a noun. The wail of the bagpipe could be heard in the distance. + wailing wail·ing Our artillery opened up and we heard a fearful wailing and screeching
If you wail something, you say it in a loud, high-pitched voice that shows that you are unhappy or in pain. `Now look what you've done!' Shirley wailed Primrose, stupefied by tiredness, began to wail that she was hungry