howl v.
1. (US) to celebrate wildly.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Tales of Mean Streets (1983) 31: There is no other fair like Whit Monday’s on Wanstead Flats. Here is a square mile and more of open land where you may howl at large. |
2. (US) to complain.
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 16 Oct. 14/2: There in considerable howling about strengthening the New York nine, but we fail to see where tbey are weak . | |
| Sporting Times 9 June 3/3: I reckon Tommie and Archie feel slightly sick that I’m not howling any over that seven pound four, eh? | |
| Confessions of a Con Man 89: It proves the weakness of your position, and the sucker howls harder than ever. | |
| ‘Corkscrew’ Story Omnibus (1966) 230: You’ve got nothing to howl about. | |
 | King Cole 56: ‘[I]f I’m not mistaken, you were howling around here because you and Fred didn’t make connections on your elopement’. | |
| ‘Movie Stuff’ in Detective Story Apr. 🌐 Didn’t he howl like hell because we asked for overtime? | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Cop This Lot 196: Wodda they all howlin’ about? | |
| Ghosts of the Big Country 59: I suppose I’ll get howled down for saying it. |
In phrases
(Aus. Und.) to complain about.
| Neddy (1998) 152: When the day of the meeting arrived he didn’t turn up. I was howling on him for keeping me waiting. After a few hours I started to worry. |
(Aus./US) on a drunken spree.
| ‘Breitsmann in Holland’ in Hans Breitmann in Europe 246: Dwo weeks der Breitmann studiet, / Vile he vent it on de howl, / Ile shpree so moosh to find de troot, / Dat he lookt like a bi-led owl. | |
| Bulletin (Sydney) 17 Sept. 24/1: Likewise [she] did her cheque in in the way once beloved by shearers. The last time she was on the howl she sidestepped into the Murrumbidgee at Wagga and passed out. Peace to her ashes, for she was a girl of the old brigade. |