Wah
interjection
A sound imitating a crying baby or someone complaining and whining.
When he didn't get his way, he started making a 'wah' sound like a baby.
Often appears as...
- wah wah wah
- cry wah
Usage tips
Informal
Colloquial
noun
A type of electronic effect used in music to alter the tone of the sound.
He used a wah pedal to add a funky effect to his guitar playing.
Often appears as...
- wah pedal
- wah effect
Usage tips
Technical
interjection
A sound expressing surprise or admiration in certain regions especially in Jamaican English.
Wah! That's a beautiful painting.
Usage tips
Approving
Colloquial
interjection
A sound imitating a crying baby or someone complaining and whining.
When he didn't get his way, he started making a 'wah' sound like a baby.
Often appears as...
- wah wah wah
- cry wah
Usage tips
Informal
Colloquial
noun
A type of electronic effect used in music to alter the tone of the sound.
He used a wah pedal to add a funky effect to his guitar playing.
Often appears as...
- wah pedal
- wah effect
Usage tips
Technical
interjection
A sound expressing surprise or admiration in certain regions especially in Jamaican English.
Wah! That's a beautiful painting.
Usage tips
Approving
Colloquial
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Not Literal
When 'wah' is used to mimic complaining, it's exaggerating for effect and not usually a real cry.
Every time chores are mentioned, my brother goes into 'wah wah wah'.
Pro Tip 2/3Tone Matters
The tone when pronouncing 'wah' can convey different levels of complaining, from light teasing to annoyance.
He mockingly said 'wah' when his team lost, but he was actually upset.
Pro Tip 3/3Informal Use
'Wah' is informal and often used with friends or in casual settings, not formal situations.
In a meeting, joking 'wah, I wanted a longer break' may be seen as unprofessional.
Pro Tip 1/3Not Literal
When 'wah' is used to mimic complaining, it's exaggerating for effect and not usually a real cry.
Every time chores are mentioned, my brother goes into 'wah wah wah'.
Pro Tip 2/3Tone Matters
The tone when pronouncing 'wah' can convey different levels of complaining, from light teasing to annoyance.
He mockingly said 'wah' when his team lost, but he was actually upset.
Pro Tip 3/3Informal Use
'Wah' is informal and often used with friends or in casual settings, not formal situations.
In a meeting, joking 'wah, I wanted a longer break' may be seen as unprofessional.
Pro Tip 1/3Not Literal
When 'wah' is used to mimic complaining, it's exaggerating for effect and not usually a real cry.
Every time chores are mentioned, my brother goes into 'wah wah wah'.
Pro Tip 2/3Tone Matters
The tone when pronouncing 'wah' can convey different levels of complaining, from light teasing to annoyance.
He mockingly said 'wah' when his team lost, but he was actually upset.
Pro Tip 3/3Informal Use
'Wah' is informal and often used with friends or in casual settings, not formal situations.
In a meeting, joking 'wah, I wanted a longer break' may be seen as unprofessional.
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Video examples
Prediction from 2013:...
you go back to that idea of mochi wah mochi ah and you start thinking and getting people that know what they're doing security people you know field people etc to make sure we're solving
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 384 PIPE...
well we reached shits wah and bizarrely enough of course why oh you were all enjoying the little Akuma Cubby's a lot of hippos were all out the
Video examples
Prediction from 2013:...
you go back to that idea of mochi wah mochi ah and you start thinking and getting people that know what they're doing security people you know field people etc to make sure we're solving
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 384 PIPE...
well we reached shits wah and bizarrely enough of course why oh you were all enjoying the little Akuma Cubby's a lot of hippos were all out the
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Lzzy Hale
American Musician
I keep changing my stuff. I used to play through a Marshall JCM800, and then I also had a Randy Rhoads signature amp. So before I was playing EVH, I was playing an ODB pedal. I still have my Dunlop Jerry Cantrell wah pedal because I love that.
Quote examples
Kirk Hammett
American Musician
There's something about a wah pedal that really gets my gut going! People will probably say, 'He's just hiding behind the wah.' But that isn't the case. It's just that those frequencies really bring out a lot of aggression in my approach.
Quote examples
Kirk Hammett
American Musician
Much of my playing is rhythmic and choppy; I use a lot of double stops. The wah just accents all those stops and chops and brings out the rhythmic aspect that much more.
Quote examples
Kirk Hammett
American Musician
The only problem I've had with my Vox wah is its tendency to move around on the floor. So now it sits on a rubber mat that says in big letters, 'Kirk's Wah-Wah Rug.
Quote examples
Rickey Medlocke
American Musician
As a young man growing up in that era, I was very influenced by Hendrix and took to a wah wah, and I learned how to really use one effectively as Hendrix did.
Quote examples
Julie Andrews
English Actress
I'm not very good with some of the more modern songs that have an awful lot of 'doo wah wahs,' if you know what I mean, because I can't do anything with them.
Quote examples
Lzzy Hale
American Musician
I keep changing my stuff. I used to play through a Marshall JCM800, and then I also had a Randy Rhoads signature amp. So before I was playing EVH, I was playing an ODB pedal. I still have my Dunlop Jerry Cantrell wah pedal because I love that.
Quote examples
Kirk Hammett
American Musician
There's something about a wah pedal that really gets my gut going! People will probably say, 'He's just hiding behind the wah.' But that isn't the case. It's just that those frequencies really bring out a lot of aggression in my approach.
Quote examples
Kirk Hammett
American Musician
Much of my playing is rhythmic and choppy; I use a lot of double stops. The wah just accents all those stops and chops and brings out the rhythmic aspect that much more.
Quote examples
Kirk Hammett
American Musician
The only problem I've had with my Vox wah is its tendency to move around on the floor. So now it sits on a rubber mat that says in big letters, 'Kirk's Wah-Wah Rug.
Quote examples
Rickey Medlocke
American Musician
As a young man growing up in that era, I was very influenced by Hendrix and took to a wah wah, and I learned how to really use one effectively as Hendrix did.
Quote examples
Julie Andrews
English Actress
I'm not very good with some of the more modern songs that have an awful lot of 'doo wah wahs,' if you know what I mean, because I can't do anything with them.
Example 1 of 6
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