Trilled

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Characterized by the rapid vibration of the tongue or vocal cords, a sound produced in music, or an expression of excitement and joy through a high-pitched voice
2. Referring to a vocal sound made by the quick, repetitive motion of the tongue, a musical flourish, or a cheerful call
3. Involving a rapid succession of notes in singing, a form of speech articulation, or an enthusiastic vocalization often associated with delight

Etymology: "Trilled" is the past tense of "trill," which has been a verb in English since Middle English and came into the language from Italian. The Italian "trillo" and its verb "trillare" describe the rapid alternation of notes that makes a bird's song or a singer's ornament quiver, and English took the sense along with the word. Related forms in German ("trillern"), Norwegian ("trille") and Swedish ("trilla") show the same pattern across the neighbouring languages. The deeper ancestry is less certain. Some etymologists link "trill" to an Old English verb meaning "to twirl" or "stir," which would connect the sound to the idea of something spinning or turning over and over. The same root may sit behind "twirl" and "thirl," and the Swedish and Norwegian forms, which mean "to trill" but also "to trot" or "to run," hint at that older sense of quick repeated motion. This connection is probable rather than proven.

Synonyms: chirped, tweeted

Antonyms: silenced