Braying

the loud, harsh cry of a donkey.
any similar loud, harsh sound.
to utter a loud and harsh cry, as a donkey.
to make a loud, harsh, disagreeable sound.
to utter with a loud, harsh sound, like a donkey.
to pound or crush fine, as in a mortar.
Printing. to thin (ink) on a slate before placing on the ink plate of a press.
Contemporary Examples

Run, Sarah, Run! Michelle Goldberg July 22, 2009
Thandie Nails Condi Patricia J. Williams October 20, 2008
Don’t Out Cain’s Accusers Michelle Goldberg November 4, 2011

Historical Examples

Wilderness of Spring Edgar Pangborn
Jack and Jill Louisa May Alcott
A History of Epidemics in Britain (Volume I of II) Charles Creighton
The Motor Pirate George Sidney Paternoster
The Mysterious Rider Zane Grey
Frank Roscoe’s Secret Allen Chapman
Zoological Mythology, Volume I (of 2) Angelo de Gubernatis

verb
(intransitive) (of a donkey) to utter its characteristic loud harsh sound; heehaw
(intransitive) to make a similar sound, as in laughing: he brayed at the joke
(transitive) to utter with a loud harsh sound
noun
the loud harsh sound uttered by a donkey
a similar loud cry or uproar: a bray of protest
verb
(transitive) to distribute (ink) over printing type or plates
(transitive) to pound into a powder, as in a mortar
(Northern English, dialect) to hit or beat (someone or something) hard; bang
v.
n.