bray Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the cry of an ass
  2. verb braying characteristic of donkeys
    hee-haw.
  3. verb reduce to small pieces or particles by pounding or abrading
    crunch; mash; comminute; grind.
    • grind the spices in a mortar
    • mash the garlic
  4. verb laugh loudly and harshly

WordNet

Bray transitive verb
Etymology
OE. brayen, OF. breier, F. broyer to pound, grind, fr. OHG. brehhan to break. See Break.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Brayed present participle & verbal noun Braying
Definitions
  1. To pound, beat, rub, or grind small or fine.
    Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar, . . . yet will not his foolishness depart from him. Prov. xxvii. 22.
Bray intransitive verb
Etymology
OE brayen, F. braire to bray, OF. braire to cry, fr. LL. bragire to whinny; perh. fr. the Celtic and akin to E. break; or perh. of imitative origin.
Definitions
  1. To utter a loud, harsh cry, as an ass.
    Laugh, and they Return it louder than an ass can bray. Dryden.
  2. To make a harsh, grating, or discordant noise.
    Heard ye the din of battle bray? Gray.
Bray transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To make or utter with a loud, discordant, or harsh and grating sound.
    Arms on armor clashing, brayed Horrible discord. MIlton.
    And varying notes the war pipes brayed. Sir W. Scott.
Bray noun
Definitions
  1. The harsh cry of an ass; also, any harsh, grating, or discordant sound.
    The bray and roar of multitudinous London. Jerrold.
Bray noun
Etymology
OE. braye, brey, brew, eyebrow, brow of a hill, hill, bank, Scot. bra, brae, bray, fr. AS. brw eyebrow, influenced by the allied Icel. br eyebrow, bank, also akin to AS. br yebrow. See Brow.
Definitions
  1. A bank; the slope of a hill; a hill. See Brae, which is now the usual spelling. North of Eng. & Scot. Fairfax.

Webster 1913