Meaning
To howl, wail, or cry out loudly and mournfully — a long, loud lament. Often paired as 'bawl an waul' to stress dramatic, unrestrained weeping and crying out, it names the open, keening grief of a mourner, the roar of someone in pain, or the drawn-out cry of distress. Louder and more sorrowful than plain crying, it belongs to the strong, expressive vocabulary of loud emotion, heard at a wake, a shock, or a heavy blow of bad news.
Examples
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Di dog a waul inna di night.
The dog is howling in the night.
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She bawl an waul wen she hear di sad news.
She wept and wailed when she heard the sad news.
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Di pickney waul till him get him way.
The child wailed until he got his way.
Origin
From 'wail'/'howl', reshaped to 'waul'; commonly doubled with 'bawl' for emphasis.
How it’s used
A loud, mournful howl or wail; 'bawl an waul' intensifies it. Compare 'bawl' (to weep).