trill

Etymology

From Middle English trillen. Compare Norwegian trille, Swedish trilla.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tɹɪl/
• Rhymes: -ɪl

Noun

trill (plural trills)

1. (music) A rapid alternation between an indicated note and the one above it, in musical notation usually indicated with the letters tr written above the staff.
2. (phonetics) A type of consonantal sound that is produced by vibrations of the tongue against the place of articulation, for example, Spanish rr.

Verb

trill (third-person singular simple present trills, present participle trilling, simple past and past participle trilled)

1. (intransitive) To create a trill sound; to utter trills or a trill; to play or sing in tremulous vibrations of sound; to have a trembling sound; to quaver.
   • Dryden

     To judge of trilling notes and tripping feet.

2. (transitive) To impart the quality of a trill to; to utter as, or with, a trill.

   to trill a note, or the letter r

   • Thomson

     The sober-suited songstress trills her lay.

3. (intransitive, obsolete) To trickle.
   • 1603, John Florio, transl.; Michel de Montaigne, The Essayes, […], printed at London: […] Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821:
     , II.30:

     I come now from seeing of a shepheard at Medoc […] who had no signe at all of genitorie parts: But where they should be, are three little holes, by which his water doth continually tril from him.

   • Shakespeare

     And now and then an ample tear trilled down / Her delicate cheek.

   • Glover

     Whispered sounds / Of waters, trilling from the riven stone.

Noun

trill ? (indefinite plural trillime, definite singular trilli, definite plural trillimet)

1. whim, tantrum, bizarre fantasy

Verb

trill

1. imperative of trille