bray

Everyday

1. To make the loud, harsh noise of a donkey (hee-haw). tree →
2. (of people) To laugh or talk loudly and unpleasantly. tree →
3. (noun) The sound a donkey makes. tree →
4. To cry out in a loud, harsh voice, especially in pain. tree →

In the lessons

In stories and farm topics, donkeys bray. In descriptions, a braying laugh is loud and annoying. In nativity and Bible stories, a donkey may bray in the stable. Phrases: donkey's bray, braying laugh.

Examples

• The donkey brayed loudly at the gate. tree →
• We heard a loud bray from the field. tree →
• The man's braying laugh filled the café. tree →
• Hee-haw is how we write a donkey's bray. tree →
• The donkey brayed when it wanted its dinner. tree →
• A trumpet in the band brayed out of tune. tree →
• Pinocchio screamed with pain and as he screamed he brayed: tree →

Note

Regular verb: brayed. Bray is also a seaside town in Ireland (a name).

In Jewish tradition

To cry out like a donkey, or in Proverbs to pound grain in a mortar.

Interpretation. Job uses it for outcasts crying out in misery. Proverbs teaches that even harsh treatment will not make a fool wise.

Examples

• Among the bushes they bray; under the nettles they are gathered together. (Writings JOB.30.7, JPS 1917) tree →
• Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder? (Writings JOB.6.5, JPS 1917) tree →
• Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle among groats, yet will not his foolishness depart from him. (Writings PRO.27.22, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Regular verb: brayed. Bray is also a seaside town in Ireland (a name).