weep
weep
UK[wiːp]US[wiːp]
v
To cry tears, especially because you are very sad.
v
(Of a wound or sore) to produce liquid or pus.
Etymology
The word 'weep' descends from the Old English 'wēpan', meaning to lament or cry. This term is part of a family of Germanic words expressing sorrowful sounds, such as Old High German 'wuof' (lamentation) and Gothic 'wōpjan' (to call out). Its ultimate origin is likely the Proto-Indo-European root wab-, which conveyed the idea of crying or shouting. The semantic core has remained remarkably stable, evolving from a general expression of vocal grief in ancient Germanic languages to its specific modern sense of shedding tears in sorrow.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Old English origin. It functions as a verb root.
Examples
She began to weep uncontrollably at the sad news.
The old gravestone seemed to weep with moss and moisture.
The doctor noted that the infection was causing the cut to weep.