aboyer

From Old French abayer, abaüer, probably of onomatopoeic origin. Compare Latin baubari, Italian abbaiare.

• IPA^(key): /a.bwa.je/

• Audio:

  (file)

aboyer

1. (intransitive, of a dog) to bark
2. (intransitive) to scream at or inveigh against somebody
3. (transitive, usually derogatory) to scream or yell in short bouts; to bark

   Il aboie des ordres sans s’arrêter pour respirer

   He barks orders without pausing to breathe.

• To mark the target of the barking, the usual preposition is après; less common is contre, while à is dated.

This verb is part of a large group of -er verbs that conjugate like noyer or ennuyer. These verbs always replace the 'y' with an 'i' before a silent 'e'.

• aboyeur
• chien qui aboie ne mord pas
• les chiens aboient, la caravane passe

• “aboyer”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.