weep

¹

[weep]

verb (used without object)

wept, weeping 

1. to express grief, sorrow, or any overpowering emotion by shedding tears; shed tears; cry.

   to weep for joy;

   to weep with rage.

   Synonyms: lament, wail, sob
   Antonyms: rejoice, laugh

2. to let fall drops of water or other liquid; drip; leak.

   The old water tank was weeping at the seams.

3. to exude water or liquid, as soil, a rock, a plant stem, or a sore.

verb (used with object)

wept, weeping 

1. to weep for (someone or something); mourn with tears or other expression of sorrow.

   He wept his dead brother.

   Synonyms: lament, bemoan, bewail

2. to shed (tears); pour forth in weeping.

   to weep tears of gratitude.

3. to let fall or give forth in drops.

   trees weeping an odorous gum.

4. to pass, bring, put, etc., to or into a specified condition with the shedding of tears (usually followed by away, out, etc.).

   to weep one's eyes out;

   to weep oneself to sleep.

noun

1. weeping, or a fit of weeping.

2. the exudation of water or liquid.

weep

²

[weep]

noun

British Dialect.

1. the lapwing, Vanellus vanellus, of Europe.

weep

/ wiːp /

verb

1. to shed (tears) as an expression of grief or unhappiness

2. to utter, shedding tears

3. to mourn or lament (for something)

4. to exude (drops of liquid)

5. (intr) (of a wound, etc) to exude a watery or serous fluid

noun

1. a spell of weeping

Word History and Origins

Origin of weep¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English wepen, Old English wēpan “to wail”; cognate with Gothic wōpjan “to call,” Old Norse æpa “to cry out”

Origin of weep²

Imitative

Word History and Origins

Origin of weep¹

Old English wēpan; related to Gothic wōpjan, Old High German wuofan, Old Slavonic vabiti to call

Example Sentences

The first felt too cold and couldn’t hack how to modernize Morfydd Clark’s Ophelia; the second started strong but got soggy with its repetitive weeping and gnashing.

From Los Angeles Times

As he spoke, a camera found a woman wearing an Oasis T-shirt openly weeping — openly sobbing — and sent her image to the giant video screens flanking the stage.

From Los Angeles Times

As they left, colleagues wept and supported each other as they tried to make sense of what had happened.

From BBC

This half-hour comedy offered so many great moments of spot-on commentary about the state of legacy journalism that I wasn’t sure if I should weep or laugh.

From Los Angeles Times

Among the scene’s daunting challenges: He has to deliver a weeping, Method-style reading of a restaurant menu.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• break down 
• complain 
• grieve 
• howl 
• moan 
• mourn 
• sob 
• wail 
• whimper