sing
to utter words or sounds in succession with musical modulations of the voice; vocalize melodically.
to perform a song or voice composition: She promised to sing for us.
to produce melodious sounds, usually high in pitch, as certain birds, insects, etc.: The nightingale sang in the tree.
to compose poetry: Keats sang briefly but gloriously.
to tell about or praise someone or something in verse or song: He sang of the warrior's prowess.
to admit of being sung, as verses: This lyric sings well.
to give out a continuous ringing, whistling, murmuring, burbling, or other euphonious sound, as a teakettle or a brook.
to make a short whistling, ringing, or whizzing sound: The bullet sang past his ear.
(of an electrical amplifying system) to produce an undesired self-sustained oscillation.
to have the sensation of a ringing or humming sound, as the ears.
Slang. to confess or act as an informer; squeal.
to utter with musical modulations of the voice, as a song.
to escort or accompany with singing.
to proclaim enthusiastically.
to bring, send, put, etc., with or by singing: She sang the baby to sleep.
to chant or intone: to sing mass.
to tell or praise in verse or song.
the act or performance of singing.
a gathering or meeting of persons for the purpose of singing: a community sing.
a singing, ringing, or whistling sound, as of a bullet.
sing out, Informal. to call in a loud voice; shout: They lost their way in the cavern and sang out for help.
Origin of sing
1Other words from sing
- sing·a·ble, adjective
- sing·a·bil·i·ty, sing·a·ble·ness, noun
- sing·ing·ly, adverb
- mis·sing, verb, mis·sang, mis·sung, mis·sing·ing.
- un·sing·a·ble, adjective
Words that may be confused with sing
Other definitions for sing. (2 of 2)
singular.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use sing in a sentence
In “Cartoons and Cereal,” he sings, “Reminisce when I had the morning appetite/ Apple Jacks, had nothing that I hit the TV Guide.”
"Nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go," Springsteen sings before launching into the "Born in the U.S.A." chorus in repetition.
Are Politicians Too Dumb to Understand the Lyrics to ‘Born in the USA’? | Parker Molloy | November 6, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“A friend indeed, come build me up/Come shed your light, it makes me shine,” she sings.
The Swedish Queen of Soulful Pop: Mapei Won’t Wait for You to Listen | Caitlin Dickson | October 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTEntitled “Let Me Poop,” young Emily sings about her difficulty…letting it go, so to speak.
Shark Deathmatch, Crazy ‘Simpsons’ Couch Gag, and More Viral Videos | Alex Chancey | October 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTOK, she over-sings at times, and an occasional touch of shrillness enters her voice.
She knows the literature of her own country, draws correctly, sings with taste, and dances gracefully.
Journal of a Voyage to Brazil | Maria GrahamMenshikova will do very well; she sings the Nightingale song in the second act beautifully.
The Life & Letters of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky | Modeste TchaikovskyBut the voices of the pigeons are soft and low like mother's, especially when Hepzebiah is sick and she sings her to sleep.
Seven O'Clock Stories | Robert Gordon AndersonOr how is it that grass grows in the fields, and the lark sings in the sky, and the trees lose their leaves in winter?
The Whale and the Grasshopper | Seumas O'BrienBut they will doubtless enjoy that poetry best which sings to them of themselves in the speech of their firesides.
Frdric Mistral | Charles Alfred Downer
British Dictionary definitions for sing (1 of 2)
/ (sɪŋ) /
to produce or articulate (sounds, words, a song, etc) with definite and usually specific musical intonation
(when intr, often foll by to) to perform (a song) to the accompaniment (of): to sing to a guitar
(intr foll by of) to tell a story or tale in song (about): I sing of a maiden
(intr foll by to) to address a song (to) or perform a song (for)
(intr) to perform songs for a living, as a professional singer
(intr) (esp of certain birds and insects) to utter calls or sounds reminiscent of music
(when intr, usually foll by of) to tell (something) or give praise (to someone), esp in verse: the poet who sings of the Trojan dead
(intr) to make a whining, ringing, or whistling sound: the kettle is singing; the arrow sang past his ear
(intr) (of the ears) to experience a continuous ringing or humming sound
(tr) (esp in church services) to chant or intone (a prayer, psalm, etc)
(tr) to bring to a given state by singing: to sing a child to sleep
(intr) slang, mainly US to confess or act as an informer
(intr) Australian (in Aboriginal witchcraft) to bring about a person's death by incantation. The same power can sometimes be used beneficently
informal an act or performance of singing
a ringing or whizzing sound, as of bullets
Origin of sing
1sing
- See also sing along, sing out
Derived forms of sing
- singable, adjective
- singing, adjective, noun
British Dictionary definitions for sing. (2 of 2)
singular
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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