Tweedled

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Past tense of playing an instrument, such as a pipe or fiddle, with light, trilling notes ; producing a thin, warbling, birdlike sound with the voice or an instrument
2. Played a pipe or fiddle in a light, lilting manner ; made a fine, fluttering, twittering noise like a bird or a small trill
3. Sounded a pipe or other instrument with airy, trilling notes ; gave out a light, warbling, chirping sound

Etymology: "Tweedled" is the past tense and past participle of "tweedle," so the real story belongs to the verb itself. "Tweedle" is generally thought to be imitative, meaning it was shaped to sound like the thing it describes: a light, repeated piece of music, especially a thin or fiddling tune played on a pipe or violin. Its sound resembles related forms such as "teedle," "toodle," and "twiddle," which share the same playful, sing-song quality. The verb may also have been influenced by "wheedle," which means to coax or cajole with flattery. That blend of meanings would explain how "tweedle" can suggest both a cheerful musical trill and a bit of soft persuasion. The connection to "wheedle" is a plausible influence rather than a proven ancestry, so the imitative sound is the more secure part of the picture.

Synonyms: warbled, trilled, twittered, chirped