cluck

IPA/klʌk/
KK[klˈʌk]IPA/klʌk/

cluck — verb

  • cluckpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • cluckshe / she / it
  • cluckedpast simple
  • clucking-ing form

1. Hens cluck by giving brief, low calls, often to gather nearby chicks or respond

1.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

Hens cluck by giving brief, low calls, often to gather nearby chicks or respond to something around them.

Example

At sunrise, the brown hen clucked beside the feed bucket.

hen cluck in a farm setting

When Luca opened the coop, one nervous chicken clucked loudly.

cluck + adverb

Common collocations
  • cluck softly
  • cluck loudly
  • mother hen cluck
Synonyms
  • cackle

    usually suggests a louder, harsher chicken sound

  • chirp

    used more for small, high bird sounds than for hens

Grammar Patterns

cluck

cluck + adverb

Usage Note

Usually used for hens and similar birds. The sound is often connected with guiding chicks, warning them, or calling them back.

2. If a person clucks, they click the tongue to show pity, annoyance, or disapprova

2.verbintransitiveC1
Definition

If a person clucks, they click the tongue to show pity, annoyance, or disapproval.

Example

Aunt Rosa clucked at the cracked vase and shook her head.

cluck at + problem in disapproval

The coach clucked when Tariq forgot his shoes again.

Common collocations
  • cluck at a mistake
  • cluck in sympathy
  • cluck with pity
Synonyms
  • tsk

    more directly names the disapproving tongue sound

  • click

    broader and can describe many mouth or machine sounds

Grammar Patterns

cluck at + something

cluck in sympathy

cluck with pity

Usage Note

Often followed by at, in sympathy, or with pity. It describes the small mouth sound itself, not the longer words that may come after it.

3. If someone clucks over another person, they fuss around them with more concern o

3.verbintransitiveC1
Definition

If someone clucks over another person, they fuss around them with more concern or praise than is really needed.

Example

Caleb's aunt clucked over his thin coat before the trip.

cluck over + person

The neighbors clucked over every bruise on Eshe's knees.

Common collocations
  • cluck over a child
  • cluck over an injury
  • cluck over someone's work
Synonyms
  • fuss

    the closest everyday verb for showing too much attention

  • hover

    focuses more on staying physically close than on talk or worry

Antonyms
  • ignore

    shows no concern or praise at all

Grammar Patterns

cluck over + someone

cluck over + something

Usage Note

Usually followed by over and often sounds mildly critical. It suggests that the worry or praise feels fussy rather than truly helpful.

cluck — noun

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

For bird sounds, cluck usually suggests the short, low call of a hen, often when she is guiding chicks or reacting to danger. Cackle is louder, rougher, and more excited, so it fits noisy hens or laughing people better. Chirp is a small, high sound from little birds or insects, not the deeper sound of a chicken. Coo is soft and gentle, especially for doves. Crow is the strong cry of a rooster. You can say The hen clucked to gather the chicks, but The rooster crowed at dawn.

cacklechirp ↗coo ↗crow ↗

Etymology

Imitative English

Cluck is an imitative English word formed from the short, low sound made by hens. Later speakers extended it from the bird sound itself to the human tongue click of pity or disapproval, and then to the idea of fussing over someone.

First known use

15th century

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1 Noun