Human (conversation and other) |
| ah | interjection used to express delight, relief, regret, or contempt |
| aha | interjection used to express surprise, triumph, or derision |
| ahem | clearing one's throat |
| ahoy | interjection used in hailing (to call or greet) a ship, as in "ship ahoy" |
| aw | interjection used to express mild disappointment, gentle entreaty, or real or mock sympathy or sentiment |
| babble | 1. to talk enthusiastically or excessively, 2. to utter meaningless or unintelligible sounds. imitative origin |
| bah | interjection used to express disdain or contempt |
| blab, blabber | loose chatter |
| blah | nonsense, silly talk |
| blurt | to utter abruptly and impulsively, as in "to blurt out the first word that comes to mind" |
| boo | 1. used to express derision, disapproval 2. exclamation used in order to startle someone |
| boo-hoo | sound of crying |
| brouhaha | hubbub, uproar |
| burp | the act of belching |
| burr | uvular pronounciation of the letter "r" |
| buzz | 1. a sibilant humming sound, like a bee (also: bzzz, hum) 2. the sound of a buzzer 3. to be filled with a confused murmur
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| cackle | talking in a cackling manner, probably has partial imitative origin |
| chat | to converse easily and familiarly. also a name for small birds, such as the warbler |
| chatter | quick repeated sounds (by birds or humans) |
| chit-chat | light, informal conversation |
| click | 1. slight sharp sound, 2. nonvocal suction sound in some languages 3 : to talk noisily or rapidly |
| cry | to call loudly, to weep |
| dada | vocal sound produced by a human infant |
| d'oh / doh | interjection used to express sudden recognition of a foolish blunder or an ironic turn of events, popularized by The Simpsons tv cartoon series, in which main character Homer uses it often |
| duh | interjection used to express actual or feigned ignorance or stupidity, also used derisively to indicate that something just stated is all too obvious or self-evident |
| eh | interjection used to ask for confirmation or repetition or to express inquiry; used especially in Canadian English in anticipation of the listener's or reader's agreement |
| fap fap fap | Sound of masturbating (male) |
| gasp | 1. sound produced by victim of punch in the stomach ("Shonen Jump, Dragon Ball", manga comic by Akira Toriyama), 2. sound produced by dying person ("Kaboom! dictionary of comic book words, symbols and onomatopoeia", by Kevin Taylor). 3. the original word, meaning "to catch the breath convulsively and audibly (as with shock)" is not directly imitative |
| gibber(ish) | 1. to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and often foolishly (imitative origin), 2. according to this wikipedia entry, it is also a verb for the sound made by apes/monkeys (as in "while dogs bark, monkeys gibber") |
| gnash | to strike teeth together |
| groan | 1. to utter a loud deep sound of grief or pain, 2. the sound of funeral bells (in the poem "The Bells" by Edgar Allan Poe |
| grumble | to mutter in discontent |
| grump | to growl, rumble. Grumpy: surly tempered, making inarticulate noises betokening displeasure |
| grunt | a deep short sound, inarticulate, growl |
| gwuf, gwuf, gwuf | sound of footstep ("Pedro and the padre", by Verna Aardema) |
| hem /ahem | clearing throat |
| hey | interjection used especially to call attention or to express interrogation, surprise, or exultation |
| hi | interjection used as a greeting |
| hiccup / hiccough | spasm of the respiratory organs accompanied by a resonant gasping noise |
| hip | interjection used to introduce a united cheer (cf. hip-hip-hurrah). in the meaning "trendy" or "informed", it may come from "hep" (african-american slang), of which the origin is not clear |
| hm(m) | interjection used in many ways, one of which is to indicate that one is thinking, feeling, introspecting |
| hmpf / humph / humpf | interjection used to express doubt or contempt |
| ho hum | interjection used to express weariness, boredom, or disdain |
| hooray / hurrah | exclamation used to express joy, approval, or encouragement |
| huh | interjection used to express surprise, disbelief, or confusion, or as an inquiry inviting affirmative reply, also: uh-huh |
| humph / humpf / hmpf | interjection used to express doubt or contempt |
| hurrah / hooray | exclamation used to express joy, approval, or encouragement |
| hush | to put at rest, imitative origin |
| jabber | to talk fast and indistinctly, imitative origin |
| kata-kata | sound of running footsteps ("Misoso: Once Upon a Time Tales from Africa", by Verna Aardema) |
| lisp | to speak with sibilant utterance |
| moan | long low inarticulate murmur |
| mum | sound with closed lips not wanting to speak |
| mumble | to speak indistinctly |
| murmur | subdued continuous sound |
| mutter | to speak almost inaudibly with closed lips |
| natter | to chatter aimlessly |
| ooh | interjection used to express amazement, joy, or surprise |
| oops | interjection used typically to express mild apology, surprise, or dismay, also: woops, whoops |
| ouch | interjection used especially to express sudden pain |
| phew | 1. used to express relief or fatigue 2. used to express disgust at or as if at an unpleasant odor |
| phooey | interjection used to express repudiation or disgust |
| pip-pip-pip | sound of footsteps ("Misoso: Once Upon a Time Tales from Africa", by Verna Aardema) |
| rabble | to utter in a rapid and confused manner |
| rail | to complain |
| scream | to utter a shrill piercing cry. note: the vocalization of eagles is often called screaming, although according to this wikipedia article, Bald Eagles normally squeak and have a shrill cry, punctuated by grunts, and the scream that is found in films this is usually the call of a Red-tailed Hawk, dubbed into films for dramatic effect. |
| squall | to cry out loudly |
| screech | a high shrill piercing cry usually expressing pain or terror |
| scritch | a screech |
| shoo | interjection used especially in driving away an unwanted animal |
| shriek | to utter a loud sharp cry, screech |
| shuh, shuh, shuh | sound of a person swimming ("Borreguita and the Coyote: A Tale from Ayutla, Mexico", by Verna Aardema) |
| sigh | to emit a deep breath, expressing weariness |
| sniffle / snuffle | to show or express disdain or scorn |
| snore | to snort, to make harsh noises through nose and mouth while sleeping |
| sob | to catch the breath convulsively |
| squabble | a noisy altercation or quarrel usually over petty matters |
| squeal | to utter a short shrill cry or noise |
| susurration | sound of whispering |
| ta-da / ta-dah | interjection, used as mock fanfare to call attention to something remarkable |
| tattle | to falter, stammer (imitative origin) |
| tlick | sound of clicking with the tongue ("Misoso: Once Upon a Time Tales from Africa", by Verna Aardema) |
| uggh | exclamation expressing pain, frustration or annoyance |
| ugh | 1. sound of coughing, 2. used to indicate the sound of a cough or grunt or to express disgust or horror |
| uh-huh | interjection used to indicate affirmation, agreement, or gratification, also: huh |
| uh-oh | interjection used to indicate dismay or concern |
| wahoo | interjection used to express exuberance or enthusiasm or to attract attention |
| weep | to shed tears |
| whew | exclamation of astonishment making a whistling sound |
| whimper | to moan |
| whine | to utter a low somewhat shrill protracted sound |
| whisper | to speak softly under one's breath |
| whoa | 1. command to stop (horse) 2. command to slow an action or thought, often used to express alarm or astonishment |
| whoops / woops | interjection used typically to express mild apology, surprise, or dismay, also: oops |
| wow | interjection used to express amazement |
| wuh-uh-uh-uh | the sound of someone muttering, grunting, in protest (Misoso: Once Upon a Time Tales from Africa, by Verna Aardema) |
| yadda yadda / yada yada | boring or empty talk - often used interjectionally especially in recounting words regarded as too dull or predictable to be worth repeating |
| yahoo | 1. interjection used to attract attention, also: yoo-hoo, yeeha 2. popular name for the Grey-crowned Babbler (see: babbler) |
| yammer | to lament |
| yawp | 1. to utter a sharp cry; yelp, 2. to talk loudly, raucously, or coarsely |
| yay | interjection used to express exuberant delight or triumph |
| yeeha, yeehaw, yee-haw | the traditional cry of a cowboy, similar to yahoo |
| yippee | interjection used to express exuberant delight or triumph |
| yoo-hoo | interjection used to attract attention, also yahoo |
| yummy | highly attractive or pleasing |
| zzzz | the sound of a person or animal sleeping |
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laughtersee special page | |
| chuckle | 1. to laugh inwardly or quietly 2. to make a continuous gentle sound resembling suppressed mirth |
| giggle | laugh in a manner suggestive of foolish levity or uncontrollable amusement |
| guffaw | course boisterous laughter |
| haw | imitation of laughter, often used to express scorn or disbelief. Often duplicated or triplicated (haw haw or haw haw haw) |
| hee haw | 1. bray of a donkey, 2. loud coarse laugh |
| he-he | laughter See special page on the sound of laughter |
| mwahaha | sound of laughter, this is usually an evil sounding laugh |
| titter | sound of suppressed giggle |
| yuk yuk | laughter |
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pain and disease | |
| aarrgh | exclamation expressing pain |
| ah-choo / atchoo / achoo | sound of sneezing
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| bawl | to cry out loudly and unrestrainedly. From baulare (Medieval Latin) or baula (Old Norse), imitative origin. |
| cough | to expel air noisily from the lungs |
| croup | throat-disease with a sharp, barking cough, imitative origin |
| gag | to choke |
| groan | to utter a loud deep sound of grief or pain |
| kashl | (pronounced cashel) sound of a rattly, phlegmy cough |
| moan | long low inarticulate murmur |
| ow | a typical exclamation expressing pain |
| puke | to vomit, of imitative origin |
| screech | a high shrill piercing cry usually expressing pain or terror |
| sneeze | to make an explosive noise to clear the nostrils, probably of imitative origin, see also: atchoo |
| ugh | sound of coughing |
| uggh | exclamation expressing pain, frustration or annoyance |
| wheeze | to breathe with difficulty usually with a whistling sound |
| whooping cough | an infection of the respiratory system caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis (or B. pertussis). It's characterized by severe coughing spells that end in a "whooping" sound when the person breathes in |
| yawp | 1. to utter a sharp cry; yelp. 2. to talk loudly, raucously, or coarsely |
| yeow | exclamation expressing pain |
| yowl | to cry loudly with pain, or to caterwaul, to howl |
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eating and drinking | |
| burp | the act of belching |
| cham / champ | to chew noisily |
| chomp | to chew or bite something |
| crunch | 1. to chew with a noisy crackling sound, 2. to crush, grind, or tread noisily |
| glop | sound something liquidy and unappetizing hitting a dinner plate |
| glug | sound of swallowing a drink |
| gnaw | to bite persistently |
| gulp | to swallow greedily or rapidly in large amounts: gulp down coffee |
| hiccup / hiccough | spasm of the respiratory organs accompanied by a resonant gasping noise |
| lap | to drink, lick with the tongue |
| munch | to chew steadily |
| slobber | to behave (feed) in a careless noisy fashion |
| slurp | to make a sucking noise while eating or drinking |
| sniff | to draw air audibly up the nose especially for smelling |
| suru suru | sound of noodles being sucked (manga) |
| yucchh | exclamation expressing disgust |
| yuck | exclamation expressing disgust. Sometimes "yuck yuck" is used as the sound of laughter, but for that "yuk yuk" is used more often |
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