lilt

[lilt]

See more synonyms for lilt on Thesaurus.com

noun

rhythmic swing or cadence.
a lilting song or tune.

verb (used with or without object)

to sing or play in a light, tripping, or rhythmic manner.

Origin of lilt

1300–50; Middle English lulte; perhaps akin to Dutch lul pipe, lullen to lull

Related formslilt·ing·ly, adverblilt·ing·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

intonation movement refrain tune air

Examples from the Web for lilt

Contemporary Examples

“I would expect that,” he says in a soft tenor voice, with the hint of a Southern lilt.
Better Than Fiction: The Rise, Fall, And Return of Webb Hubbell
Lloyd Grove
May 1, 2014
As Morris shares his side of the story, his voice whispers across the phone line, a gentle Southern lilt kissing every syllable.
The Man Who Fell for 'King Con'
Gina Piccalo
December 1, 2010
His voice carries some of the Bavarian lilt of Werner Herzog, and he looks slightly like Daniel Day-Lewis when he laughs.
Tarantino's Glorious Nazi
Paul Cullum
August 16, 2009
“I was starting a new collection and feeling a little depressed,” the 45-year-old says with her strong Gallic lilt.
Michelle's Secret Weapon
Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni
June 4, 2009

Historical Examples

Was that indeed the end of it all, of the hope, the lilt, the glory?
Gilian The Dreamer
Neil Munro
That the fisherman's daughter with the Island lilt in her voice—well he recalled it!
Major Vigoureux
A. T. Quiller-Couch
No one who can play dance music with that lilt can be as cold as a stone—.
Man and Maid
Elinor Glyn
Through the window came to him the lilt of the fresh young voice.
The Fighting Edge
William MacLeod Raine
(Twig to the lilt, I have got it all right)Sleep, little babe, sleep on!
The Book of Humorous Verse
Various

British Dictionary definitions for lilt

lilt

noun

(in music) a jaunty rhythm
a buoyant motion

verb (intr)

(of a melody) to have a lilt
to move in a buoyant manner

Derived Formslilting, adjective

Word Origin

C14 lulten, origin obscure

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

Word Origin and History for lilt

v.

1510s, "to lift up" (the voice), probably from late 14c. West Midlands dialect lulten "to sound an alarm," of unknown origin. Possible relatives include Norwegian lilla "to sing" and Low German lul "pipe." It is possible that the whole loose group is imitative. Sense of "sing in a light manner" is first recorded 1786. Related: Lilted; lilting. As a noun, 1728, "lilting song," from the verb. As "rhythmical cadence," 1840.

lilt

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Related Words

Examples from the Web for lilt

Contemporary Examples

“I would expect that,” he says in a soft tenor voice, with the hint of a Southern lilt.

As Morris shares his side of the story, his voice whispers across the phone line, a gentle Southern lilt kissing every syllable.

His voice carries some of the Bavarian lilt of Werner Herzog, and he looks slightly like Daniel Day-Lewis when he laughs.

“I was starting a new collection and feeling a little depressed,” the 45-year-old says with her strong Gallic lilt.

Historical Examples

Was that indeed the end of it all, of the hope, the lilt, the glory?

That the fisherman's daughter with the Island lilt in her voice—well he recalled it!

No one who can play dance music with that lilt can be as cold as a stone—.

Through the window came to him the lilt of the fresh young voice.

(Twig to the lilt, I have got it all right)Sleep, little babe, sleep on!

lilt

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for lilt

v.

Origin of lilt