Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Sing

Sing

(sĭng)
,
Verb.
I.
[
imp.
Sung
or
Sang
;
p. p.
Sung
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Singing
.]
[AS.
singan
; akin to D.
zingen
, OS. & OHG.
singan
, G.
singen
, Icel.
syngja
, Sw.
sjunga
, Dan.
synge
, Goth.
siggwan
, and perhaps to E.
say
, v.t., or cf. Gr. [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK] voice. Cf.
Singe
,
Song
.]
1.
To utter sounds with musical inflections or melodious modulations of voice, as fancy may dictate, or according to the notes of a song or tune, or of a given part (as alto, tenor, etc.) in a chorus or concerted piece.
The noise of them that
sing
do I hear.
Ex. xxxii. 18.
2.
To utter sweet melodious sounds, as birds do.
On every bough the briddes heard I
sing
.
Chaucer.
Singing
birds, in silver cages hung.
Dryden.
3.
To make a small, shrill sound;
as, the air
sings
in passing through a crevice
.
O’er his head the flying spear
Sang
innocent, and spent its force in air.
Pope.
4.
To tell or relate something in numbers or verse; to celebrate something in poetry.
Milton.
Bid her . . .
sing

Of human hope by cross event destroyed.
Prior.
5.
To cry out; to complain.
[Obs.]
They should
sing
if thet they were bent.
Chaucer.

Sing

(sĭng)
,
Verb.
T.
1.
To utter with musical inflections or modulations of voice.
And they
sing
the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.
Rev. xv. 3.
And in the darkness
sing
your carol of high praise.
Keble.
2.
To celebrate in song; to give praises to in verse; to relate or rehearse in numbers, verse, or poetry.
Milton.
Arms and the man I
sing
.
Dryden.
The last, the happiest British king,
Whom thou shalt paint or I shall
sing
.
Addison.
3.
To influence by singing; to lull by singing;
as, to
sing
a child to sleep
.
4.
To accompany, or attend on, with singing.
I heard them
singing
home the bride.
Longfellow.

Webster 1828 Edition

Sing

SING

,
Verb.
I.
pret. sung, sang; pp. sung.
1.
To utter sounds with various inflections of melodious modulations of voice, as fancy may dictate, or according to the notes of a song or tune The noise of them that sing do I hear Ex. 32.
2.
To utter sweet or melodious sounds, as birds. It is remarkable that the female of no species of birds ever sings. And singing birds in silver cages hung.
3.
To make a small shrill sound; as, the air sings in passing through a crevice. O'er his head the flying spear sung innocent, and spent its force in air.
4.
To tell or relate something in numbers of verse. Sing of human hope by cross event destroy'd.

SING

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To utter with musical modulation of voice. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb. Rev. 15.
2.
To celebrate in song; to give praises to in verse. The last, the happiest British king, whom thou shalt paint or I shall sing.
3.
To relate or rehearse in numbers, verse or poetry. Arms and the man I sing. While stretch'd at ease you sing your happy loves.

Definition 2024

Sing

Sing

See also: sing, siŋ, sing., and Sing.

English

Proper noun

Sing

  1. Alternative spelling of Singh (a Sikh surname​).
    • For usage examples of this term, see Citations:Sing.

sing

sing

See also: Sing, siŋ, sing., and Sing.

English

Verb

sing ‎(third-person singular simple present sings, present participle singing, simple past sang, past participle sung or (archaic) sungen)

  1. (intransitive) To produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice.
    "I really want to sing in the school choir." said Vera.
  2. (transitive) To express audibly by means of a harmonious vocalization.
    • 1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, “The Tutor's Daughter”, in Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion, page 266:
      In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.
  3. (transitive) To soothe with singing.
    to sing somebody to sleep
  4. (intransitive, slang) To confess under interrogation.
  5. To make a small, shrill sound.
    The air sings in passing through a crevice.
    • Alexander Pope
      O'er his head the flying spear / Sang innocent, and spent its force in air.
  6. To relate in verse; to celebrate in poetry.
    • Prior
      Bid her […] sing / Of human hope by cross event destroyed.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Milton to this entry?)

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

sing ‎(plural sings)

  1. A gathering for the purpose of singing songs.
    • 2002, Martha Mizell Puckett, Hoyle B. Puckett, Memories of a Georgia Teacher: Fifty Years in the Classroom, page 198:
      Some of the young folks asked Mrs. Long could they have a sing at her home that Sunday afternoon; she readily agreed, telling them to come early, bring their songbooks, and have a good sing.

See also

Anagrams

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch zingen.

Verb

sing ‎(present sing, present participle singende, past participle gesing)

  1. to sing

Hungarian

Noun

sing

  1. (archaic) cubit (a unit of linear measure, no longer in use, originally equal to the length of the forearm)

Etymology

From Middle English singen, from Old English singan ‎(“to sing, recite”), from Proto-Germanic *singwaną (compare West Frisian sjonge, Low German singen, Dutch zingen, German singen, Danish synge, Swedish sjunga), from Proto-Indo-European *sengʷh- (compare Middle Welsh deongl ‎(“to explain”), Ancient Greek ὀμφή ‎(omphḗ, “voice, oracle”), Prakrit saṃghai 'to say, teach').

Pronunciation

  • enPR: sĭng, IPA(key): /sɪŋ/
  • (US) IPA(key): /sɪ̝ŋ/
  • Rhymes: -ɪŋ

Similar Results