From en.wiktionary.org:
** English
*** Alternative forms
- [en]
*** Etymology
From [en] adopted into English by white settlers in Australia from 1790.[1]
*** Pronunciation
- [ko͞o'(w)ē] , [en]
- [en]
- [en]
*** Noun
[en-noun]
1. [en] A long, loud call used to attract attention when at a distance, mainly done in the Australian bush.
2. * [1=en]
3. * [en]
4. * 2006 , Saskia Beudel, _Walking: West MacDonnell Ranges 2002_ , in Drusilla Modjeska, _The Best Australian Essays 2006_ , page 309 (see http://books.google.com/books?id=6UBV5f0LThoC&pg=PA309&dq=%22cooee%7Ccooees%22+-intitle:%22%22&hl=en&ei=bFeqTvyPMMmImQWC7KnQDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CEAQ6AEwBDhk#v=onepage&q=%22cooee%7Ccooees%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22&f=false) ,
5. *: Just as I was preparing to write in my exercise book, I heard a COOEE . COOEES were not part of the code.
6. [en] A short distance; hailing distance .
7. * [en]
8. * [en]
**** Translations
[a call as a signal]
- Maori: [mi] , [mi]
[trans-bottom]
*** Verb
[en-verb]
1. [en] To make such a call.
2. * {{ quote-book | en | year=2001 | author=Robert Holden; Nicholas Holden | title=Bunyips: Australia's Folklore of Fear | pageurl=http://books.google.com/books?id=UnKPCZT0x6kC&pg=PA65&dq=%22cooeeing%7Ccooeed%22+-intitle:%22%22&hl=en&ei=WZ-qTs_gL9HUmAWbo_HHDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CEQQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q&f=false | page=65
|passage=‘Look out for snakes,’ said Long Charlie, flourishing his lantern.
‘And don′t all of us be COO-EEING all the time, or when the little chap sings
out we shan't be able to hear him.’}}
1. * [en]
2. * 2006 , Saskia Beudel, _Walking: West MacDonnell Ranges 2002_ , in Drusilla Modjeska, _The Best Australian Essays 2006_ , page 310 (see http://books.google.com/books?id=6UBV5f0LThoC&pg=PA310&dq=%22cooeeing%7Ccooeed%22+-intitle:%22%22&hl=en&ei=WZ-qTs_gL9HUmAWbo_HHDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22cooeeing%7Ccooeed%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22&f=false) ,
3. *: I COOEED back.. Another cooee came in what seemed to be a reply. I COOEED again.
**** Translations
[to call out as a signal]
- Maori: [mi] , [mi]
[trans-bottom]
*** Interjection
[en-interj]
1. [en] [Used to attract someone's attention.]
2. * {{ quote-book | en | year=1894 | title=Temple Bar | volume=183 | pageurl=http://books.google.com/books?id=AQMbAAAAYAAJ&q=%22cooee%22+-intitle:%22%22&dq=%22cooee%22+-intitle:%22%22&hl=en&ei=bZyqTva2KqjkmAWensXuDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CDsQ6AEwBDiWAQ | page=587
|passage=Then, raising her hands to her lips she utters a long, loud, piercing
" COOEE ! "<br>" COO — EE ! " comes back over the black waters.}}
1. * 2001 , June E. Barker, _First Platypus, Gaygar—The Little Mother Duck_ , in Helen F. McKay (editor), Pauline E. McLeod, Francis Firebrace Jones, June E. Barker, _Gadi Mirrabooka: Australian Aboriginal Tales from the Dreaming_ , page 58 (see http://books.google.com/books?id=ZhooWCBA7HAC&pg=PA58&dq=%22cooee%22+-intitle:%22%22&hl=en&ei=xJKqTsqSIIPSmAWwvo36Dg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCsQ6AEwADg8#v=onepage&q=%22cooee%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22&f=false) ,
2. *: Gaygar could hear her people cooee out to her, " COOEE , GAYGAR! COOEE , GAYGAR!" they would cry.
**** Synonyms
- [en] ! [nautical] , [en] !, [en] ! [impolite] , [en] !; see also Thesaurus:hey
*** References
References:
[1]. 吴语: R. M. W. Dixon , _Australian Aboriginal Words_ , Oxford University Press, 1990, [0-19-553099-3] , page 208.