The word "bray" is spelled as /breɪ/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first sound is a voiced bilabial consonant, "b". The second sound is a diphthong consisting of "e" and "ɪ", which represents the sound "ay" in English. This word can be pronounced in different ways depending on the context. It can mean the harsh and loud cry of a donkey or to crush or grind something into a powder. Regardless of the meaning, the spelling of "bray" always stays the same.
Bray is a verb that commonly refers to the loud, harsh, and often unmelodious sound that donkeys make. It can also describe the peculiar sound made by certain animals, such as mules or small donkeys, which is a combination of a neigh and a bray. This sound is characterized by its grating quality, often likened to a loud, persistent, and unpleasing noise.
Additionally, bray can be used metaphorically to describe the loud, unpleasant sound made by a human when they speak or laugh in a coarse or raucous manner. It may indicate a lack of refinement or tact in speech or behavior, often associated with being loud and attention-seeking.
This term can also be employed figuratively to describe someone who speaks or laughs in an obnoxious manner, displaying impoliteness or a lack of awareness of their effect on others. In this context, bray implies an insensitivity to social cues and norms, akin to the loud and grating vocalizations of a donkey.
Overall, bray is a versatile verb used to describe the harsh, piercing, and unrefined sound made by an array of animals, and it can extend to describing individuals who display loud, obnoxious, and socially unaware behavior in their speech or laughter.
• The cry of an ass; any similar loud harsh sound.
• To make a loud harsh noise like an ass.
• To rub or grind down in a mortar; to pound; to grind small.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "bray" has a complex etymology. It originated from the Old French word "braire", which meant "to cry, to weep" and was possibly derived from the sound of a donkey's call. This Old French word itself had earlier roots in the Gallo-Romance language, where it appeared as "bragire" with a similar meaning.
The origin of the word can be traced back further to the Latin word "bragire", which also meant "to bray" or "to bellow". However, it is uncertain how the Latin word itself developed. Some theories suggest that it may have been onomatopoeic, imitating the sound made by a donkey or another noisy animal. Others propose that it might have come from the Greek word "baragizein", meaning "to babble" or "to chatter".