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 for lilted

warble, trill, sound, lilt, tweet, quaver, roll, pipe, call, sing, twitter, chip, tweedle, chirrup, purl, chipper

Examples from the Web for lilted

Historical Examples of lilted

She put a damper on the sudden enthusiasm that lilted into his voice.
The Fighting Edge
William MacLeod Raine
He lilted a swaying air, and whirled her round the room with gipsy glee.
The Nest Builder
Beatrice Forbes-Robertson Hale
He sat up with alert ears, and lilted suspiciously to a distance.
Lives of the Fur Folk
M. D. Haviland
Madelon saw him as she lilted, and it seemed to her that she heard what he said.
Madelon
Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
She thought that Burr was there, and she lilted more loudly the Virginia reel.
Madelon
Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

British Dictionary definitions for lilted

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 for lilt

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 lilted

lilt

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.