What does "warble" mean?
Warble: (Zoöl.) See Wormil.
Additional senses
- 2.To sing in a trilling, quavering, or vibratory manner; to modulate with turns or variations; to trill; as, certain birds are remarkable for warbling their songs.
- 3.To utter musically; to modulate; to carol. If she be right invoked in warbled song. Milton. Warbling sweet the nuptial lay. Trumbull.
- 4.To cause to quaver or vibrate. "And touch the warbled string." Milton.
- 5.To be quavered or modulated; to be uttered melodiously. Such strains ne'er warble in the linnet's throat. Gay.
- 6.To sing in a trilling manner, or with many turns and variations. "Birds on the branches warbling." Milton.
- 7.To sing with sudden changes from chest to head tones; to yodel.
- 8.A quavering modulation of the voice; a musical trill; a song. And he, the wondrous child, Whose silver warble wild Outvalued every pulsing sound. Emerson.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
- Canonical URL: https://worddirectanswers.com/answers/what-does-warble-mean
- Steward: Jason Burns
- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00