What does "sing" mean?
Sing: 2. To utter sweet melodious sounds, as birds do. On every bough the briddes heard I sing. Chaucer. Singing birds, in silver cages hung. Dryden.
Additional senses
- 2.To make a small, shrill sound; as, the air sings in passing through a crevice. O'er his head the flying spear Sang innocent, and spent its force in air. Pope.
- 3.To tell or relate something in numbers or verse; to celebrate something in poetry. Milton. Bid her . . . sing Of human hope by cross event destroyed. Prior.
- 4.Ti cry out; to complain. [Obs.] They should sing if thet they were bent. Chaucer.
- 5.To utter with musical infections or modulations of voice. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb. Rev. xv.
- 6.And in the darkness sing your carol of high praise. Keble.
- 7.To celebrate is song; to give praises to in verse; to relate or rehearse in numbers, verse, or poetry. Milton. Arms and the man I sing. Dryden. The last, the happiest British king, Whom thou shalt paint or I shall sing. Addison.
- 8.To influence by singing; to lull by singing; as, to sing a child to sleep.
- 9.To accompany, or attend on, with singing. I heard them singing home the bride. Longfellow.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00