verb (used without object)
- to give a quick, sharp, shrill cry, as a dog or fox.
- to call or cry out sharply: The boy yelped in pain when the horse stepped on his foot.
verb (used with object)
- to utter or express by or as if by yelping.
noun
- a quick, sharp bark or cry.
verb (intr)
- (esp of a dog) to utter a sharp or high-pitched cry or bark, often indicating pain
noun
- a sharp or high-pitched cry or bark
v.Old English gelpan (Anglian), gielpan (West Saxon) “to boast,” from Proto-Germanic *gelpanan (cf. Old Saxon galpon, Old Norse gjalpa “to yelp,” Old Norse gjalp “boasting,” Old High German gelph “outcry”), from PIE root *ghel- “to cry out” (see yell). Related: Yelped; yelping. n.Old English gielp “boasting,” from source of yelp (v.). Meaning “quick, sharp bark or cry” is attested from c.1500.