Coo

Pronunciation

• IPA: /kuː/
• Rhymes: -uː
• Homophones: coup

Of onomatopoetic/imitative origin.

Full definition of coo

Noun

1. The murmuring sound made by a dove or pigeon.

Verb

1. (transitive or intransitive) To make a soft murmuring sound, as a pigeon.
2. (intransitive) To speak in an admiring fashion, to be enthusiastic about.
• 2013, Nicola Cornick, One Night with the Laird (page 206)They were too busy cooing over the baby and his parents were too busy cooing over each other.

Derived terms

• cooer
• cooingly

Related terms

• bill and coo

Shortening of cool. Compare foo.

Adjective

1. (slang) cool

Interjection

1. Expression of fright, surprise, approval, etc.
• 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, I stood outside the door for a space, letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would”, as Jeeves tells me cats do in adages, then turned the handle softly, pushed – also softly – and, carrying on into the interior, found myself confronted by a girl in housemaid's costume who put a hand to her throat like somebody in a play and leaped several inches in the direction of the ceiling. “Coo!” she said, having returned to terra firma and taken aboard a spot of breath. “You gave me a start, sir!” ... “If you cast an eye on him, you will see that he's asleep now.” “Coo! So he is.”
• 1988, Sean Kelly, Professional BMX Simulator (video game review in Your Sinclair, issue 35, November 1988)The last track on each of the three sections is a professional course, where you can customise your bike by changing the tyres and the size of chainwheel. Coo!
• 1989, Competitions (in Sinclair User, issue 92, November 1989)We want you to come up with a side splitting caption for a picture drawn by the fair hand of those at System 3. If you turn out to be the Funniest "Person", we'll give you a big wopping model of a dinosaur. Coo.
• 1990, Crash readers' awards ceremony (in Crash, issue 75, April 1990)Mark: 'Coo, I've only had four gallons of extra caffeine coffee today so I'm not my usual talking-to-PR-girlies-for-hours-on-end self. But bear with me a mo while I get myself together (audience waits for an age while he searches through his coat for the golden envelope). Here it is! Coo, and the winner is The New Zealand Story.'

Anagrams

• OOC