Buglings

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. Small, beginning noises or calls emitted typically by insect larvae or young animals ; an early or preliminary sound or signal indicating potential problems or activity ; a faint and subtle utterance or whisper suggesting the start of communication
2. Delicate and immature vocalizations produced by creatures such as insects or young birds ; the initial hints or warnings of a technical fault or suspicion ; a low and tentative sound that may precede fuller expression or development
3. Minor and soft sounds produced by youthful animals or embryonic insects ; early indications or reports of trouble or glitches ; subtle murmurs or preliminary noises that herald the onset of more significant occurrences

Etymology: "Buglings" is the plural of "bugling," which is a form of the verb "bugle" (in the sense of making the call of a bugle) and the noun "bugle" itself, so the plural here reflects the noun and verb usage together. The word appears in the sense of faint, early sounds or signs that foreshadow something larger, and in the sense of the minor noises young animals make. Because the entry is an inflected form, its history rests on the base word "bugling," so the lineage of "bugle" carries over to this plural. Readers should treat the specific sense of "buglings" as a figurative extension of the instrument-call meaning rather than a separate coinage.

Synonyms: calls, blasts, notes, signals, tones