chirrup
Americanverb (used without object)
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to chirp.
robins chirruping on the lawn.
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to make a similar sound.
She chirruped softly to encourage the horse.
verb (used with object)
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to utter with chirps.
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to make a chirping sound to.
noun
verb
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(esp of some birds) to chirp repeatedly
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to make clucking sounds with the lips
noun
Other Word Forms
- chirruper noun
- chirrupper noun
- chirrupy adjective
Etymology
Origin of chirrup
First recorded in 1570–80; variant of chirp
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At Beowulf’s chirruping call, the little rodent scampered into the nursery and offered Penelope a great prize indeed: a single perfect acorn, carried with pride in those tiny, monkeylike paws.
From Literature
A high, squeaking sound accompanied them; it might have been Margaret’s voice, but in Penelope’s mind it sounded more like the chirruping of a worried Nutsawoo.
From Literature
Musicians have long incorporated nature's sounds into their music - think of the chirruping in The Beatles' "Blackbird", or the rain falling in "Riders on the Storm" by The Doors.
From BBC
During trials, a lone bat had taken an unexpected test flight through the curtain of water before returning to the colony, chirruping away, he said.
From New York Times
The chirrup or trill greeting is a melodious sound that cats make when saying hello to preferred individuals.
From Scientific American
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
