sing

[ sing ]

/ sɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR sing ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), sang or, often, sung; sung; sing·ing.

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.

verb (used with object), sang or, often, sung; sung; sing·ing.

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.

noun

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.

Verb Phrases

sing out, Informal. to call in a loud voice; shout: They lost their way in the cavern and sang out for help.

Nearby words

sinewy, sinfjotli, sinfonia, sinfonietta, sinful, sing, sing a different tune, sing along, sing for one's supper, sing out, sing sing

Origin of sing

before 900; Middle English singen, Old English singan; cognate with Dutch zingen, German singen, Old Norse syngva, Gothic siggwan

Related forms

sing·a·ble, adjectivesing·a·bil·i·ty, sing·a·ble·ness, nounsing·ing·ly, adverbmis·sing, verb, mis·sang, mis·sung, mis·sing·ing.

un·sing·a·ble, adjective

Can be confused

sign singsingeing singing

Definition for sing (2 of 2)

sing.

singular.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for sing

Yep, the song the Whos sing in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Yes, I Like Christmas Music. Stop Laughing.|Michael Tomasky|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He could sing Beatles songs with as much authenticity as the Liverpool lads themselves—and sometimes with even more fervor.
The Greatest Rock Voice of All Time Belonged to Joe Cocker|Ted Gioia|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We sing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Jingle Bells”.
Congress’ Gift That Keeps on Giving|P. J. O’Rourke|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And there are few songs more wonderful to hear her sing than “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
The Biggest Bombs of 2014: ‘Sex Tape,’ Mariah Carey’s Vocals, ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and More|Kevin Fallon|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The actress shows she can sing, dance, and act - and that she should have gotten the part.
Watch Jane Krakowski's Secret Peter Pan Live! Audition Tape|Jack Holmes, The Daily Beast Video|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Germans are born chorus singers, and their great men do not sing themselves, but conduct the singing of others.
Greifenstein|F. Marion Crawford
Francis went away, to build his chapel and sing in the Provençal speech hymns in honor of God and of love for his greatness.
Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern, Vol. 15|Various
There are few Swedes who cannot sing, and I doubt whether any country in Europe would be able to furnish so many fine voices.
Northern Travel|Bayard Taylor
Now began the last phase of a fight that Homer himself would have loved to sing about.
Camp Fire Yarns of the Lost Legion|G. Hamilton-Browne
I should never finish telling the high deeds of those scoundrels, and I have still to sing the praises of the revellers.
Six Women and the Invasion|Gabrielle Yerta

British Dictionary definitions for sing (1 of 2)

sing

/ (sɪŋ) /

verb sings, singing, sang or sung

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 versethe poet who sings of the Trojan dead

(intr) to make a whining, ringing, or whistling soundthe 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 singingto 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

noun

informal an act or performance of singing

a ringing or whizzing sound, as of bullets

Derived Forms

singable, adjectivesinging, adjective, noun

Word Origin for sing

Old English singan; related to Old Norse syngja to sing, Gothic siggwan, Old High German singan

xref

See ring 2

British Dictionary definitions for sing (2 of 2)

sing.

abbreviation for

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