weep
gb/wˈip/ us/wˈip/
B1
English
~ 4000
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
Cry due to emotion or pain
To cry because you feel very sad, happy, or hurt.
Usage pattern:
to weep [in/with/from] [emotion]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'weep' with 'wipe', which have very different meanings.
Synonyms
cry (More common and general term for producing tears from emotion.)
|
sob (Implies noisy crying with gasps or convulsive breathing.)
Antonyms
laugh (Opposite emotional expression, often associated with happiness instead of sadness.)
Collocations
weep bitterly
|weep with joy
|weep in silence
|weep uncontrollably
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|health
Examples
- She began to weep quietly during the sad movie.
- He wept with joy when he saw his family again.
- The child wept from the pain of the injury.
- They wept together at the funeral.
- I couldn't help but weep after hearing the news.
Learner examples
- She wept when she lost her dog.
- He wept with joy at the good news.
- The little boy wept after he fell.
- I saw her weep in the park.
- They wept at the sad story.
Verb
B2
action
2
Leak liquid slowly
For something to let out liquid slowly in small drops.
Usage pattern:
to weep [liquid]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this is related to crying; here it refers to liquid from objects or wounds.
Synonyms
ooze (Often used for slow, thick, or sticky liquid flow.)
|
leak (General term for liquid escaping, not necessarily slow or drop by drop.)
Antonyms
seal (To close so that no liquid escapes.)
Collocations
wound weeps
|walls weep moisture
|wood weeps sap
Themes
science
|daily life
|health
Examples
- The cut on his arm began to weep blood.
- The old stone walls were weeping moisture after the rain.
- Freshly cut pine logs often weep sap.
Learner examples
- The wound wept blood.
- The wall weeps water when it rains.
- The tree weeps sap in spring.
Noun
literary
B2
event
3
An act of crying
A time when someone cries.
Synonyms
crying (Common everyday term for producing tears.)
Collocations
have a good weep
Themes
emotions
|health
Examples
- She had a long weep after hearing the bad news.
- Sometimes a good weep can make you feel better.
- He went upstairs for a quiet weep.
Learner examples
- She had a short weep in her room.
- He went outside for a weep.
- A good weep can help you feel better.
Grammar
Dictionary form
weep
IPA
GB/wˈip/
US/wˈip/
Syllables & stress
weep (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (weep)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: weep
- 3rd Person Singular: weeps
- Present Participle: weeping
- Past: wept
- Past Participle: wept
Word family
Forms
weeps
verb
weeping
verb
wept
verb
Related words
weepy
adjective
weeper
noun
Highlights
- Irregular past: wept Verb
- Irregular past participle: wept Verb
Expressions
cry oneself to sleep (weep oneself to sleep)
1/kɹˈaɪ wˌʌnsˈɛlf tə slˈip wˈip wˌʌnsˈɛlf tə slˈip/
fixed phrase
Cry until you fall asleep
To cry for a long time until you fall asleep.
Examples
- She cried herself to sleep after the argument.
- He often wept himself to sleep as a child.
weep and wail
1/wˈip ˈænd wˈeɪl/
fixed phrase
Cry loudly and complain
To cry loudly and say how unhappy you are about something.
Examples
- They were weeping and wailing after hearing the bad news.
- He began to weep and wail when he saw the damage.
weep over
1/wˈip ˈoʊvɚ/
phrasal verb
Cry about something specific
To cry because of a particular thing or event.
Examples
- She wept over the loss of her childhood home.
- He is still weeping over the breakup.