trill

Plural: trills

Noun

• a note that alternates rapidly with another note a semitone above it
• the articulation of a consonant (especially the consonant `r') with a rapid flutter of the tongue against the palate or uvula
  • "he pronounced his R's with a distinct trill"
• A rapid alternation between an indicated note and the one above it as an ornament; in musical notation usually indicated with the letters tr written above the staff.
• A type of consonantal sound that is produced by vibrations of the tongue against the place of articulation: for example, Spanish ⟨rr⟩, /r/.
• A tremulous high-pitched vocal sound produced by cats.

Verb

Verb Forms: trilled, trilling, trills

• To sing or play with a quavering or vibrating effect.
• pronounce with a trill, of the phoneme `r'
  • "Some speakers trill their r's"
• sing or play with trills, alternating with the half note above or below
• 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.
• To impart the quality of a trill to; to utter as, or with, a trill.
• To trickle.
• To twirl.

Adj

• True, respected.

Examples

• She hoped her word, "TRILL," would sound like music to her opponent’s ears.
• to trill a note, or the letter r
• Whisper'd sounds / Of waters, trilling from the riven stone.

Synonyms

quaver, shake, warble, chirl, chirr, roll, trill, wobble

Related Words

birdsong, mordente, shake, tirl, trembling, tremolo, vibrate, vibrato

Anagrams of trill