Sobbings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of crying noisily, often involving convulsive gasps for breath
2. Making sounds of grief or distress through intense weeping
3. The expressions of sorrow that manifest in audible, intermittent bursts of crying

Etymology: "Sobbings" is the plural of "sobbing," so it names separate episodes of weeping rather than the act in general. The noun "sobbing" comes from the verb "sob," which is a form of the older verb "sob," used in English for centuries to describe the catching, gasping breath of someone crying hard. Adding "-ing" turns the verb into a noun for that activity, and the plural "-s" then counts the individual fits of it, as with other nouns that name actions, such as "cryings" or "laughters."

Synonyms: weeping, crying, lamenting

Antonyms: laughter, joy