Library / English Dictionary

GROWL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The sound of growling (as made by animals)

Synonyms:

growl; growling

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("growl" is a kind of...):

cry (the characteristic utterance of an animal)

Derivation:

growl (to utter or emit low dull rumbling sounds)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

To utter or emit low dull rumbling sounds

Example:

Stones grumbled down the cliff

Synonyms:

growl; grumble; rumble

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "growl" is one way to...):

emit; let loose; let out; utter (express audibly; utter sounds (not necessarily words))

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sentence examples:

You can hear animals growl in the meadows

The meadows growl with animals

Derivation:

growl (the sound of growling (as made by animals))

growler (a speaker whose voice sounds like a growl)

growling (a gruff or angry utterance (suggestive of the growling of an animal))

growling (the sound of growling (as made by animals))

Credits

 Context examples: 

They tugged his hair with their hands, put their feet upon his back and rolled him about, or they took a hazel-switch and beat him, and when he growled they laughed.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

It was something between a snore and a growl, low, deep, and exceedingly menacing.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"I've been shaken, and I won't bear it!" growled Laurie indignantly.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

He, too, growled, savagely, terribly, voicing the fear that is to life germane and that lies twisted about life's deepest roots.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

"You shall walk up the pyramids of Egypt!" he growled.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

I weren't a-goin' to fight, so I waited for the food, and did with my 'owl as the wolves, and lions, and tigers does. But, Lor' love yer 'art, now that the old 'ooman has stuck a chunk of her tea-cake in me, an' rinsed me out with her bloomin' old teapot, and I've lit hup, you may scratch my ears for all you're worth, and won't git even a growl out of me.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

In his anger he had met the first advances of the express messengers with growls, and they had retaliated by teasing him.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

“It is as I feared,” growled Du Guesclin.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He seemed to recover himself, for a lucid gleam came into his eyes, and he relaxed his hold with a short laugh that was more like a growl.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Then Jip growled, and wouldn't smell them.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)