Questions tagged [onomatopoeia]
A word that phonetically imitates or suggests the source of the sound that it describes. Common occurrences of onomatopoeias include animal noises such as "oink", "meow", "roar" or "chirp", or human sounds like "yawn", "gulp" or "mwah".
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Which word to describe the sound of broken-up small ice shards in water?
I am trying to find the best word to describe the sound that a mass of small ice shards collected at the edges of a lake and moving in the waves make, after the ice has broken up? The sound is soft ...
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Looking for the right word to describe a chainsaw revving underwater in a menacing way [closed]
I am searching for the perfect word to describe a chainsaw sound. The chainsaw is revving under water (think Friday the 13th film). The actual sound is a boat motor but the receptor of said sound ...
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What does a car sound like when it’s starting?
If you put your foot on the gas when starting the engine, it's definitely 'vroom'. Each increase in revs gets a vroom of it's own (three squeezes of the pedal, "vroom vroom vroom").
If I ...
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What sound (Onomatopoeia) does big lights shutting off sound like
I'm writing a story about a paranormal tornado and the story starts at a basketball game,
but when the lights shut off and the warning sirens start, I don't know what sound effect
(onomatopoeia) to ...
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Onomatopoeia for the sound of something coming to a complete halt or fitting right in
There is a Japanese onomatopoeia "pita(ピタッ)" indicating something coming to a complete halt or fitting right in. What is an English equivalaent for this onomatopoeia? A few websites ...
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What does the word "kzaar" mean?
On a YouTube video I have heard a speaker of American English accent in a gaming context saying the exclamation:
Kzaaar!
Does someone know what that means and how to spell it correctly?
This is the ...
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Is 'Rumbling' an example of an onomatopoeia?
Is the word 'Rumbling' considered to be an example of onomatopoeia?
I know that the word 'rumble' is an onomatopoeia, but I am not sure if that applies to 'rumbling' as well.
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Is "to go + (onomatopoeia)" a recognized pattern?
Multiple times I saw that "to go" is used with strange things, especially in memes:
go brrr
go woo
to go boom
But I don't see such scheme to be listed in a dictionary as phrasal verbs or ...
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What would be the correct formatting or rewording of the onomatopoeia "crunch-crunched"?
I am editing a historical fiction novel, and this clause has come up.
As the Model T's wheels crunch-crunched their way up the gravel driveway...
Is this clause grammatically correct? Should I use ...
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What did "beep" mean in the 1800s? [closed]
According to Google Ngram Viewer the word "beep" was nearly as common in literature in the 1800s as it is today:
Similar onomatopoeias such as "zap" and "honk" show almost zero usage back then. ...
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How to spell what sounds like "ish" or "eesh"? [duplicate]
I've heard this word a lot of times, but still don't know how to write it down. It's used when you want to show some kind of disgust, or something like that. It sounds like "ish" or "eesh".
I've ...
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Sound of gnawing a bone [closed]
I want the audience to be sure what was crunching was torn apart deer bones, not the crunch of the joint capsules of the old wolf, whenever it bent its knees to take another bite. What word or phrase ...
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Does "ook" as onomatopoeia for the sound a monkey makes originate with Terry Pratchett?
I just recently ran into someone making the claim that the use of "ook" to represent the sound a monkey makes is a reference to the librarian from the Unseen University of Terry Pratchett's Discworld ...
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Are there any words describing normal breathing?
I am not sure but I can't find any words that describe normal calm breathing. Something that describes the exhale of a breath or blowing air out from your mouth. Not frantic or puffed breathing just ...
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What are interesting and evocative words for (disgusting) throat sounds? [closed]
Here is my passage for example:
“Now I can hear him through the walls hucking and sniffing,
expectorating and blowing all kinds of things in a grotesque,
unconscious, unhealthy sounding manner.”...
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Onomatopoeic words with repeated first syllable
I've come across a small number of onomatopoeic words whose first syllables repeat:
borborygmus
tintinnabulation
ululation
I was wondering is there is a word describing such words and if any of ...
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how can you describe the sound of rustling leaves [closed]
how can you describe the sound of rustling leaves in just one word. If you want to write what they can hear as if it is onomatopoeia. I do not want to write that he can hear rustling, I just want to ...
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Onomatopoeia for coughing [duplicate]
As the title says! I am looking for an onomatopoeia for coughing, as in:
"[sound]" he coughed violently, as if his lungs were ...etc
Alternative suggestions are also gladly accepted :_
Thanks!
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Verb for when cats meow other than meow itself
If
a dog barks "woof" (or some other variation)
a frog croaks "ribbit"
is there a verb for when cats "meow" other than "meow" itself?
I am specifically looking for a word that is usually only ...
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Describing the sound of blood drops
I'm searching for a word describing the sound of blood drops falling on someone's shoulder. I found some describing the sound of liquids hitting a surface, such as tap, splat, and tuck. I was going ...
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What does walking on wet pavement sound like?
I've had the word 'clicking' down for a while, but it truly doesn't capture what I'm trying to express. I have a very distinct sound in my head, but I just can't find the right word. I would just ...
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What's the sound of a starting car? [closed]
I've been looking trying to find an onomatopoeia for a car starting. I've tried to come up with it by making the sound myself, but I come up blank and quite frankly failed to mimicking the sound. It's ...
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General verb for animal making sound
English language has different verbs for different species of animals making sound, many are onomatopoeias. But is there a general verb that can be applied to an unnamed animal? e.g., can I say "I ...
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How to describe this metallic sound?
Link to the sound in question
Another example of the sound
I'm trying to write a sword fight scene where a swordsman is able to predict his opponent's next swing. And every time he does, he hears ...
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Does "clack" necessarily refer to sound?
I have a question about the verb clack in the following paragraph taken from Sandkings by George R. R. Martin. In this paragraph, the protagonist, Simon Kress, is being shown a strange kind of ...
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Is 'to suck your teeth' the same thing as saying 'tsk'? [duplicate]
I am inclined to think that 'to suck your teeth' is a possible description for the sound 'tsk'. Is there any good source to support (or dismiss) my assumption?
By 'tsk' I mean the onomatopoeia for a ...
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Is "shh" a word and why? [closed]
Is shh a word?
If it is, why is it a word?
If it is not, why isn't it a word?
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I need a definition of, usage and correct spelling of caplui
I may be spelling this wrong or this may be a poor version of the word but I am looking for the spelling and meaning of the word caploui
I am trying to use it in a sentence like ' and all of a sudden,...
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Onomatopoeia for disgust [duplicate]
Are there any English onomatopoeias for disgust / loathe? What exclamations are commonly used to express repulsion?
Something that could be used like:
(___) dog shit. I loathe it! (some sound here)...
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Single word to describe something that describes itself [duplicate]
For example orange - orange describes exactly what it is.
I thought that the word was onomatopoeia but when I looked it up — it's described as sounds; e.g. bleat for lamb or miaow for cat.
I was ...
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a word for the sound a person makes when knocked down
Working on a scene where a character is repeatedly struck down by having objects thrown at her, starting the scene with the sound she would make after being hit with a ball made of solid ice.
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How to write the sound of a pool break [closed]
I am trying to write the sound of a pool break. Something like "thwock", but I need some input to capture it best.
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how to write an onomatopoeia in a short story?
I'm writing a short story and I would like to know how to add an onomatopoeia in a sentence. Do I have to underline it? Can an onomatopoeia be a sentence on its own? Thank you for answering.
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onomatopoeia for taking a deep breath before speaking
I'm writing a comic, and a character is about to ask another character for help, but it's taken her a lot of effort to be able to ask for help. So, before she finally asks she takes a deep breath and ...
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When did animal sounds get codified?
Every kindergartner knows that a sheep says baa, a cow says moo, a cat says meow and a goat says maa. But this is just in English. In other languages, they say other things.
When did animal sounds ...
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Should I use speech marks for sounds? [duplicate]
If I were to describe a sudden sound, in this example: Boom!
Were I to put it in speech marks: "Boom!"
Just like in a dialogue, or to do something else, in that case what?
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Onomatopoeia for a kettle [closed]
When the water is hot enough, what is the sound made by the kettle?
Is Choo-choo correct ?
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How do you show someone is crying in dialogue?
How do you show someone is crying in dialogue? (as in, is there an onomatopoeia that can show crying well? I ask because "(insert dialogue)..sniffle..(insert dialogue)..snifle..", does show that the ...
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onomatopoeia for the sound of spoons hitting on the plate when eating? [closed]
Is there any word to describe this?
I have tried inging but not sure if that is the best word.
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Where did "Pew! Pew!" come from?
To elaborate, I'm talking about the "sound effect" that people often make when imitating gunfire.
Eg.
"Pew! Pew! I shot you Billy, you're dead now!"
I suppose this developed from the "Bang! Bang!"...
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Interjection made in mockery to make someone jealous
I seem to remember there is an interjection used by children when they have something another kid doesn't as a way to make them jealous: it's something along the lines of nuh-nuh-nah-nuh-nah said in a ...
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Verb or phrase for "to make an onomatopoeia"
In the event that a common, recognized, and understood onomatopoeia for a sound does not already exist, how would you phrase the creation of an onomatopoeia for the sound?
Essentially the word ...
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Sound of a zip fastener?
I was wondering, how would you best describe the sound a zip fastener makes when it's opened or closed slowly?
You know, that "r-r-r-r-r" kind of sound?
I thought about growling, but that feels too ...
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A word that describes a sound that is not an onomatopoeia
By necessity, visual phenomena have abstract descriptions. The word yellow is only linked to the actual color because our teachers told us so. Sounds are easier to describe. Because language is sound, ...
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What verb would you use to describe the sound tires make when they roll on the asphalt?
In a previous question, I mentioned an English teacher who changed the following sentence “…the rustling of tires." to “…the rustle of tires.”
It seems; however, that rustle has been assessed and ...
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Word for Self-Exemplifying Phrase
Depeche Mode's song, "I Promise You I Will," contains the following lines:
I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say
(I promise you)
I know they don't sound the way I ...
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Onomatopoeia for sirens (police, ambulance, fire engines)
I came across these two sentences in Peopleware
The Furniture Police at one company we know even listed a number for spilled coffee on the Emergency Numbers decal affixed to every phone. We were ...
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What sound do blinds make in English?
When you raise or lower a window blind with a one quick movement, it produces a sound, what do you call that sound in English?
I rolled up/raised/opened/ pulled up the window blind quickly with a/...
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How to describe making sounds with your throat?
Say if someone asked you a yes/no question, and you make that note of assent with your throat to let them know that yes is the answer to the question, how would you describe that through writing? I ...
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What are the words to express sobbing and crying sound?
Google doesn't help much.
What are the sounds (written in words) that people usually use to express their crying/sobbing emotions such as in chat, social network?
For example if I say, "I am sad [...
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