(尤指动物或人因愤怒、威胁而)低吼,咆哮;也可指(发动机等)发出低沉的轰鸣声。(另有名词用法:低吼声。)
/ɡraʊl/
The dog began to growl at the stranger.
那只狗开始对陌生人低吼。
Hearing the engine growl in the distance, she knew the storm patrol truck was coming.
听到远处发动机低沉的轰鸣声,她知道巡查风暴的卡车要来了。
“growl”源自中古英语,属于拟声词(模仿声音的词),模仿动物发出的低沉咆哮声;其形式与表示喉音、低沉声响的一类日耳曼语词有联系,语感上强调“低、闷、带威胁”的声音。