TRILL • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Trill

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/trɪl/ Listen

noun

Trill n.

A sound, of consonantal character, made with a rapid succession of partial or entire intermissions, by the vibration of some one part of the organs in the mouth tongue, uvula, epiglottis, or lip against another part; as, the r is a trill in most languages.

The action of the organs in producing such sounds; as, to give a trill to the tongue. d

(Mus.) A shake or quaver of the voice in singing, or of the sound of an instrument, produced by the rapid alternation of two contiguous tones of the scale; as, to give a trill on the high C. See Shake.

verb

Trill v. t. To turn round; to twirl. (Obs.) "Bid him descend and trill another pin."

Trill v. t. (past & past part. trilled; pres. part. trilling) To impart the quality of a trill to; to utter as, or with, a trill; as, to trill the r; to trill a note. "The sober-suited songstress trills her lay."

Trill v. i. To flow in a small stream, or in drops rapidly succeeding each other; to trickle. "And now and then an ample tear trilled down Her delicate cheek." "Whispered sounds Of waters, trilling from the riven stone."

Trill v. i. To utter trills or a trill; to play or sing in tremulous vibrations of sound; to have a trembling sound; to quaver. "To judge of trilling notes and tripping feet."

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Etymology of 'Trill'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Trill" Quotes from Famous Books

... of time blown their blossomy faces Forever adrift down the years that are flown? Am I never to see them romp back to their places, Where over the meadow, In sunshine and shadow, The meadow-larks trill, and the bumblebees drone? ...

— Riley Songs of Home • James Whitcomb Riley

... strengthen and develop his or her infirmity. If this is done, the chances are many to one that, as times goes on, the parties will grow more and more alike—the strong becoming more docile and the weaker one more robust. Take time, love each other, court and be courted, and only the best results trill ...

— Sane Sex Life and Sane Sex Living • H.W. Long

... flageolet. In a few minutes the Queen and all her courtiers were enthralled by the music. It was not only the novelty and bird-like sweetness of the instrument itself that charmed, but also the fine taste and wonderful touch of the sailor. The warbling notes seemed to trill, rise and fall, and float about on the atmosphere, as it were, like fairy music, filling the air with melody and ...

— The Fugitives - The Tyrant Queen of Madagascar • R.M. Ballantyne

... infectious enjoyment of a schoolboy, and Lynette's laugh, sweet and gay as a thrush's sudden trill ...

— The Dop Doctor • Clotilde Inez Mary Graves

... and drear, November's leaf is red and sear: Late, gazing down the steepy linn, That hems our little garden in, Low in its dark and narrow glen, 5 You scarce the rivulet might ken, So thick the tangled greenwood grew, So feeble trill'd the streamlet through: Now, murmuring hoarse, and frequent seen Through bush and brier, no longer green, 10 An angry brook, it sweeps the glade, Brawls over rock and wild cascade, And, foaming brown with double speed, Hurries ...

— Marmion • Sir Walter Scott

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