Word definition: sing

Etimology


From Middle English singen, from Old English singan, from Proto-West Germanic *singwan, from Proto-Germanic *singwaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sengʷʰ-. Cognate with German singen (“to sing”).

verb


sing (third-person singular simple present sings, present participle singing, simple past sang, past participle sung or (archaic) sungen)

(intransitive) To produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice.

(intransitive) To perform a vocal part in a musical composition, regardless of technique.

(transitive) To express audibly by means of a harmonious vocalization.

(transitive) To soothe with singing.

(transitive, intransitive) Of birds, to vocalise:

(intransitive, slang) To confess under interrogation.

(intransitive) To make a small, shrill sound.

To relate in verse; to celebrate in poetry.

(intransitive) To display fine qualities; to stand out as excellent.

(ergative) To be capable of being sung; to produce a certain effect by being sung.

(Australia) In traditional Aboriginal culture, to direct a supernatural influence on (a person or thing), usually malign; to curse. [from 19th c.]

Examples


"I really want to sing in the school choir," said Vera.

sing a lullaby

In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.

to sing somebody to sleep

⁠I do but sing because I must,And pipe but as the linnets sing:And unto one her note is gay,⁠For now her little ones have ranged;⁠And unto one her note is changed,Because her brood is stol’n away.

The evening was still very warm, and the birds in the woods were singing in praise of spring.

The air sings in passing through a crevice.

a singing kettle

O'er his head the flying spear / Sang innocent, and spent its force in air.

Again I bid the mournful Goddeſs write / The fond Purſuit of fugitive Delight: / Bid her exalt her melancholy Wing, / And rais'd from Earth, and ſav'd from Paſſion, ſing / Of human Hope by croſs Event deſtroyed, / Of uſeleſs Wealth, and Greatneſs unenjoy'd, […]

Who would not sing for Lycidas? he knew Himself to sing, and build the lofty rhyme.

The sauce really makes this lamb sing.

[Alissa Monte said] “This result was all about demonstrating that LZ [the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment] works, and it does! As we take more data and mature our analyses, we get to make LZ sing. […] ”

No song sings well unless it is open-vowelled, and has the rhythmic stress on the vowels. Tennyson's songs, for instance, are not generally adapted to music.

‘We sung them two real good. We never give Louis Beck no place to find rest from his torment.’

Related words


synonyms

(confess under interrogation): See also Thesaurus:confess and Thesaurus:rat out

related terms

song

noun


sing (plural sings)

The act, or event, of singing songs.

Examples


I sometimes have a quick sing in the shower.

Then all three would go off in search of the first, give it a good talking to and maybe a bit of a sing as well.

Some of the young folks asked Mrs. Long could they have a sing at her home that Sunday afternoon; she readily agreed, telling them to come early, bring their songbooks, and have a good sing.

'Ah, yes, Miss Fisher, have you had a nice sing?'

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