Past tense of bawl; cried out loudly or wept noisily.
From bawl, which comes from Middle English balwen or baulen, possibly from Old Norse baula (to make noise). The word originally meant to make loud sounds, then specifically crying sounds. Standard formation of past tense with -ed.
Bawl used to mean any loud sound, but over time it got narrower and narrower until it specifically meant loud crying—it's like the word's range of expression shrunk! Now you can't bawl unless you're pretty much sobbing.
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