warble

¹

[ wawr-buhl ]

verb (used without object)

, war·bled, war·bling.

1. to sing or whistle with trills, quavers, or melodic embellishments:

   The canary warbled most of the day.

2. to yodel.
3. (of electronic equipment) to produce a continuous sound varying regularly in pitch and frequency.

verb (used with object)

, war·bled, war·bling.

1. to sing (an aria or other selection) with trills, quavers, or melodious turns.
2. to express or celebrate in or as if in song; carol.

noun

1. a warbled song or succession of melodic trills, quavers, etc.
2. the act of warbling.

warble

²

[ wawr-buhl ]

noun

, Veterinary Pathology.

1. a small, hard tumor on a horse's back, produced by the galling of the saddle.
2. a lump in the skin of an animal's back, containing the larva of a warble fly.

warble

¹

/ ˈwɔːbəl /

verb

1. to sing (words, songs, etc) with trills, runs, and other embellishments
2. tr to utter in a song
3. another word for yodel

noun

1. the act or an instance of warbling

warble

²

/ ˈwɔːbəl /

noun

1. a small lumpy abscess under the skin of cattle caused by infestation with larvae of the warble fly
2. a hard tumorous lump of tissue on a horse's back, caused by prolonged friction of a saddle

Derived Forms

• ˈwarbled, adjective

Other Words From

• warbled adjective
• un·warbled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of warble¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English noun werble, warble “a tune,” from Old North French, from Germanic; compare Old High German werbel “something that turns”

Origin of warble²

First recorded in 1575–85; origin uncertain; compare Middle Swedish varbulde “boil”

Word History and Origins

Origin of warble¹

C14: via Old French werbler from Germanic; compare Frankish hwirbilōn (unattested), Old High German wirbil whirlwind; see whirl

Origin of warble²

C16: of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

It rose with a low, clear, deliberate warble, and seemed to float in the gray sky like the note of a lark.

From Project Gutenberg

Their subdued warble may be heard during October and later, as if the birds were humming to themselves.

From Project Gutenberg

Shrill and re-echoing through the narrow passage came the flute-like warble which Jacob knew only too well.

From Project Gutenberg

Petticoat told her that his mother had been living with him, but had fled incontinently on hearing a description of Warble.

From Project Gutenberg

The car was a museum piece, and as Warble caromed into its cushions she felt that her lines had fallen in pleasant places.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• chirp
• trill