warble

[ wawr-buhl ]

/ ˈwɔr bəl /

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See synonyms for: warble / warbled / warbling on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), war·bled, war·bling.

to sing or whistle with trills, quavers, or melodic embellishments: The canary warbled most of the day.

to yodel.

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

verb (used with object), war·bled, war·bling.

to sing (an aria or other selection) with trills, quavers, or melodious turns.

to express or celebrate in or as if in song; carol.

noun

a warbled song or succession of melodic trills, quavers, etc.

the act of warbling.

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Origin of warble

1300–50; Middle English werble a tune <Old North French <Germanic; compare Old High German werbel something that turns, equivalent to werb- (cognate with Old English hweorf- in hweorfan to turn) + -el noun suffix

Other definitions for warble (2 of 2)

warble²

[ wawr-buhl ]

/ ˈwɔr bəl /

noun Veterinary Pathology.

a small, hard tumor on a horse's back, produced by the galling of the saddle.

a lump in the skin of an animal's back, containing the larva of a warble fly.

Origin of warble

1575–85; origin uncertain; compare obsolete Swedish varbulde boil

OTHER WORDS FROM warble

warbled, adjectiveun·war·bled, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use warble in a sentence

And Christopher Walken warbling and doing a little soft-shoe?
‘Peter Pan Live!’ Review: No Amount of Clapping Brings It to Life|Kevin Fallon|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then, after a long wait, a man begins to play a song on a zither-like instrument, singing an exotic, warbling tune.
Petra by Night|David Frum|January 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It began in November when Paltrow slipped into a tiny dress and delivered a warbling performance at the CMA Awards.
Gwyneth Paltrow and the Rise of the Country Carpetbagger|Bryan Curtis|January 6, 2011|DAILY BEAST
When a man starts warbling through Garth Brooks “Shameless,” Pixie does an interpretative dance on the stage.
The Worst Strip Club in Vegas|Richard Abowitz|September 17, 2010|DAILY BEAST

I can hear her now warbling her own rendition of "His Eye Is on the Sparrow."
Dame Edna Mouths Off|Kevin Sessums|March 17, 2010|DAILY BEAST
The members of the choir are of a brisk, warbling turn of mind, and can push through their work blithely.
Our Churches and Chapels|Atticus
Now pours forth the evening concert from the woods, while warbling brooks, and lowing herds, appear to answer to the sound.
The Rain Cloud|Anonymous
What happiness only to see her growing tall, to hear day after day her bird-like warbling, to kiss her when the fancy seized him!
Bouvard and Pcuchet, part 2|Gustave Flaubert
Indeed, this warbling vireo seems to be the connecting link between them.
Bird Neighbors|Neltje Blanchan
Mrs. Tootle, the flute, is of a romantic turn of mind, doting on moonlight and warbling birds and babbling brooks.
Bizarre|Lawton Mackall

British Dictionary definitions for warble (1 of 2)

warble¹

/ (ˈwɔːbəl) /

verb

to sing (words, songs, etc) with trills, runs, and other embellishments

(tr) to utter in a song

US another word for yodel

noun

the act or an instance of warbling

Word Origin for warble

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

British Dictionary definitions for warble (2 of 2)

warble²

/ (ˈwɔːbəl) /

noun vet science

a small lumpy abscess under the skin of cattle caused by infestation with larvae of the warble fly

a hard tumorous lump of tissue on a horse's back, caused by prolonged friction of a saddle

Derived forms of warble

warbled, adjective

Word Origin for warble

C16: of uncertain origin

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

warble

Origin of warble

Other definitions for warble (2 of 2)

Origin of warble

OTHER WORDS FROM warble

Words related to warble

How to use warble in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for warble (1 of 2)

Word Origin for warble

British Dictionary definitions for warble (2 of 2)

Derived forms of warble

Word Origin for warble