whoo

alternative woo · alternative wooh · alternative hoo · alternative hoot

1. An expression of joy and excitement.

   Synonyms: yay

2. The wailing of a ghost.

   "You are mistaken; I am a ghost; whoo!" said I, choking back my rage.

   1949, Robertson Davies, The table talk of Samuel Marchbanks

   1 more example

   Then he held up his hands and let out a weak ghost-howl. "Whoo?" he moaned, in a tiny voice.

   1996, R A Noonan, Wild ghost chase

3. The cry of an owl.

   Synonyms: tuwhit tuwhoo

plural whoos

1. A "whoo" sound; the cry of an owl or similar.

present singular third person whoos · participle present whooing · participle past whooed · past whooed

1. To make a whoo sound, of delight, whistling, or of an owl etc.

   1 more example

   "Upon my honour!" cried he, "there was never before such a beautiful thing in Nature or Art as you look, 'Cousin' Tess ('Cousin' had a faint ring of mockery). I have been watching you from over the wall—sitting like Im-patience on a monument, and pouting up that pretty red mouth to whistling shape, and whooing and whooing, and privately swearing, and never being able to produce a note. Why, you are quite cross because you can't do it."

   1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Part 6