Roar (?), n. The sound of
roaring. Specifically: (a) The deep, loud cry of a wild beast; as, the roar of a lion. (b)
The cry of one in pain, distress, anger, or the
like. (c)
A loud, continuous, and confused sound; as, the
roar of a cannon, of the wind, or the waves; the roar of ocean.
Arm! arm! it is, it is the cannon's
opening roar!
Byron. (d) A boisterous outcry or shouting, as in
mirth.
Pit, boxes, and galleries were in a constant roar of laughter.
Macaulay.
Roar , v. t. To cry aloud; to
proclaim loudly.
This last action will roar thy infamy.
Ford.
Roar (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Roared (?);
p. pr. & vvb. n.
Roaring.]
[OE. roren,
raren, AS. rārian; akin to G. röhten, OHG. r&?;r&?;n. √112.]
1. To cry with a full, loud, continued sound. Specifically: (a) To bellow, or utter a deep,
loud cry, as
a lion or other beast.
Roaring bulls he would him
make to tame.
Spenser. (b) To cry loudly, as in pain, distress, or anger.
Sole on the barren sands, the suffering chief
Roared out for anguish, and indulged his grief.
Dryden. He scorned to roar under the impressions of a finite anger.
South. 2. To make a loud, confused sound, as winds, waves, passing
vehicles, a crowd of persons when shouting together, or the like.
The brazen throat of war
had ceased to roar.
Milton.
How oft I crossed where carts and coaches roar.
Gay. 3. To be boisterous; to be disorderly.
It was a mad, roaring time, full of extravagance.
Bp. Burnet. 4. To laugh out
loudly and continuously; as, the hearers roared at his jokes.
5. To make a loud noise in
breathing, as horses having a certain disease. See Roaring, 2.
Roaring boy, a roaring, noisy fellow; -- name given, at the latter
end Queen Elizabeth's reign, to the riotous fellows who raised disturbances in the street. "Two roaring boys of Rome, that made all
split." Beau. & Fl. --
Roaring forties
(Naut.), a sailor's name for the stormy tract of ocean between 40° and 50° north latitude.
Hear it pronounced