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cooee

[ koo-ee ]

noun

  1. a prolonged, shrill, clear call or cry used as a signal by Aboriginal inhabitants of Australia and adopted by the settlers in the country.


verb (used without object)

, coo·eed, coo·ee·ing.
  1. to utter the call “cooee.”

cooee

/ ˈkuːiː /

interjection

  1. a call used to attract attention, esp (originally) a long loud high-pitched call on two notes used in the Australian bush
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


verb

  1. intr to utter this call
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. informal.
    calling distance (esp in the phrase within ( a ) cooee ( of ))
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of cooee1

First recorded in 1780–90, cooee is from the Dharuk word gu-wī
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Word History and Origins

Origin of cooee1

C19: from a native Australian language
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Example Sentences

One was the fact that his father should, according to his account, cry Cooee!

When about a hundred yards from the Pool I heard a cry of Cooee!

When about a hundred yards from the pool I heard a cry of “Cooee!”

One was the fact that his father should, according to his account, cry ‘Cooee!’

The Coroner: I understand that the cry of Cooee was a common signal between you and your father?

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