roar

present singular third person roars · participle present roaring · participle past roared · past roared

1. intransitiveTo make a loud, deep cry, especially from pain, anger, or other strong emotion.

   Sole on the barren ſands the ſuff'ring chief / Roar'd out for anguiſh, and indulg'd his grief.

   a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “The First Book of Homer’s Ilias”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume IV, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, →OCLC, page 434

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   Hearing the rout, Dame Gill came out, With a horse whip from the door, She laid it on Jack, And poor Jill's back, Until they both did roar.

   1810, Jack and Jill, and old Dame Gill, York: J. Kendrew, page 14

2. To laugh in a particularly loud manner.

   The audience roared at his jokes.

3. Of animals (especially a lion), to make a loud deep noise.

   The lioness roared to scare off the hyenas.

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   Roaring bulls he would him make to tame.

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, , stanzas 6-7, page 14

4. Generally, of inanimate objects etc., to make a loud resounding noise.

   The brazen throat of war had ceased to roar.

   1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

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   How oft I crossed where carts and coaches roar.

   [1716], [John] Gay, “(please specify the page)”, in Trivia: Or, The Art of Walking the Streets of London, London: […] Bernard Lintott, […], →OCLC

5. figurativelyTo proceed vigorously.

   United's attempt to extend their unbeaten league sequence to 23 games this season looked to be in shreds as the Seasiders - managed by Ian Holloway - roared into a fully deserved two-goal lead at the interval.

   2011 January 25, Phil McNulty, “Blackpool 2-3 Man Utd”, in BBC

6. transitiveTo cry aloud; to proclaim loudly.

   This last action will roar thy infamy.

   1639, John Ford, The Lady's Trial

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   I made a speaking trumpet of my hands and commenced to whoop “Ahoy!” and “Hello!” at the top of my lungs. […] The Colonel woke up, and, after asking what in brimstone was the matter, opened his mouth and roared “Hi!” and “Hello!” like the bull of Bashan.

   1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC

7. To be boisterous; to be disorderly.

   It was a mad, roaring time, full of extravagance.

   1724, Gilbert Burnet, History of My Own Time

8. To make a loud noise in breathing, as horses do when they have a certain disease.
9. MidlandsNorthUKYorkshireinformalTo cry.

   Tom, Tom, the piper's son, Stole a pig, and away he run! The pig was eat, and Tom was beat, And Tom went roaring down the street.

   1886, James Orchard Halliwell, “Third Class: Tales: LX”, in The Nursery Rhymes of England

plural roars

1. A long, loud, deep shout, as of rage or laughter, made with the mouth wide open.
2. The cry of the lion.

   Tarzan could imagine how old Numa’s eyes were shining—how he was already sucking in his breath for the awful roar which would freeze his prey for the brief instant between the moment of the spring and the sinking of terrible fangs into splintering bones.

   1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 120

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   The Winkies were not a brave people, but they had to do as they were told. So they marched away until they came near to Dorothy. Then the Lion gave a great roar and sprang towards them, and the poor Winkies were so frightened that they ran back as fast as they could.

   1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC

3. The deep cry of the bull.
4. A loud resounding noise.

   the roar of a motorbike

   2 more examples

   I stand amid the roar / Of a surf-tormented shore, / And I hold within my hand / Grains of the golden sand—

   1849 March 31, Edgar Allan Poe, “A Dream Within a Dream”, in The Works of the Late Edgar Allan Poe: […], volumes II (Poems and Miscellanies), New York, N.Y.: J. S. Redfield, […], published 1850, →OCLC, page 40

   Those lovely valleys and mountains were filled throughout the day and night with the roar of heavy shooting.

   1944, Ernie Pyle, Brave Men, University of Nebraska Press (2001), page 107

5. A show of strength or character.