Yawks

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. To laugh loudly and coarsely, often with a braying quality ; a harsh, boisterous burst of laughter that draws attention
2. To guffaw in a loud, unrestrained way ; the loud, coarse laugh that someone lets out when amused
3. To let out a noisy, unrestrained laugh ; a booming, rough laugh that breaks out suddenly

Etymology: "Yawks" is the third-person form of "yawk," a informal verb meaning to laugh or yell loudly, usually with a rough, coarse sound. Its exact origin is uncertain, but it most likely belongs to a family of imitative words built to sound like the noise they describe. The closest relative is "yawp," which also means a loud, harsh cry and dates to Middle English as "yolpen," a word that seems to echo the sound of shouting itself. Because "yawk" is a sound-based coinage, its spelling and meaning have drifted across dialects, and it appears mostly in American speech. Some dictionaries treat it as a variant of "yawp" rather than a separate word, so the two may share more than their sound. Where the trail goes cold, the word's pattern of imitation is the clearest guide to its history.

Synonyms: guffaws, laughs, cackles, hoots