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Webster 1913 Edition


Ditty

Dit′ty

,
Noun.
;
pl.
Ditties
(#)
.
[OE.
dite
, OF.
ditié
, fr. L.
dictatum
, p. p. neut. of
dictare
to say often, dictate, compose. See
Dictate
,
Verb.
T.
]
1.
A saying or utterance; especially, one that is short and frequently repeated; a theme.
O, too high
ditty
for my simple rhyme.
Spenser.
2.
A song; a lay; a little poem intended to be sung.
“Religious, martial, or civil ditties.”
Milton.
And to the warbling lute soft
ditties
sing.
Sandys.

Dit′ty

,
Verb.
I.
To sing; to warble a little tune.
Beasts fain would sing; birds
ditty
to their notes.
Herbert.

Webster 1828 Edition


Ditty

DITTY

,
Noun.
[L.] A song; a sonnet or a little poem to be sung.
And to the warblign lute soft ditties sing.

DITTY

,
Verb.
I.
To sing; to warble a little tune.

Definition 2024


ditty

ditty

English

Noun

ditty (plural ditties)

  1. A short verse or tune.
    The Acme mattress ditty has been stuck in my head all day.
    • Milton
      Religious, martial, or civil ditties.
    • Sandys
      And to the warbling lute soft ditties sing.
  2. A saying or utterance, especially one that is short and frequently repeated.
    • Spenser
      O, too high ditty for my simple rhyme.

Translations

Verb

ditty (third-person singular simple present ditties, present participle dittying, simple past and past participle dittied)

  1. To sing; to warble a little tune.
    • Herbert
      Beasts fain would sing; birds ditty to their notes.

See also