sing

[sing]

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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.

Origin of sing

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

Related formssing·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 confusedsign singsingeing singing

sing.

singular.

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

Related Words for sing

serenade, chant, warble, whistle, shout, croon, hum, wait, intone, talk, solo, descant, resound, hymn, purr, vocalize, harmonize, troll, groan, chirp

Examples from the Web for sing

Contemporary Examples of 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
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
We sing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Jingle Bells”.
Congress’ Gift That Keeps on Giving
P. J. O’Rourke
December 20, 2014
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
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

Historical Examples of sing

They were never allowed to learn any liberal art, or to sing manly songs.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
Shall I sing the chorus now or would you prefer to hear it later.
Grace Harlowe's Return to Overton Campus
Jessie Graham Flower
Her mother thought she had never heard her sing so splendidly before.
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald
"Sing the song you gave us the other night at our house," he said carelessly.
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald
Coax him to let you teach him—and bear with him if he should sing out of tune.
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald

British Dictionary definitions for sing

sing

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

Word Origin for sing

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

xref

See ring 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

Word Origin and History for sing

Old English singan "to chant, sing, celebrate, or tell in song," also used of birds (class III strong verb; past tense sang, past participle sungen), from Proto-Germanic *sengwan (cf. Old Saxon singan, Old Frisian sionga, Middle Dutch singhen, Dutch zingen, Old High German singan, German singen, Gothic siggwan, Old Norse syngva, Swedish sjunga), from PIE root *sengwh- "to sing, make an incantation." The criminal slang sense of "to confess to authorities" is attested from 1610s.

No related forms in other languages, unless perhaps it is connected to Greek omphe "voice" (especially of a god), "oracle;" and Welsh dehongli "explain, interpret." The typical Indo-European root is represented by Latin canere (see chant (v.)). Other words meaning "sing" derive from roots meaning "cry, shout," but Irish gaibim is literally "take, seize," with sense evolution via "take up" a song or melody.

"act of singing," especially collective, 1850, from sing (v.).