warble

Plural: warbles

Noun

• a lumpy abscess under the hide of domestic mammals caused by larvae of a botfly or warble fly
• The sound of one who warbles; singing with trills or modulations.
• In naval mine warfare, the process of varying the frequency of sound produced by a narrowband noisemaker to ensure that the frequency to which the mine will respond is covered.
• A lesion under the skin of cattle, caused by the larva of a bot fly of genus Hypoderma.
• A small hard swelling on a horse's back, caused by the galling of the saddle.

Verb

Verb Forms: warbled, warbling, warbles

• To sing with a soft, melodious, and often trilling sound.
• sing or play with trills, alternating with the half note above or below
• sing by changing register; sing by yodeling
• To modulate a tone's frequency.
• To sing like a bird, especially with trills.
• To cause to quaver or vibrate.
• To be quavered or modulated; to be uttered melodiously.

Examples

• He hoped his opponent wouldn’t warble with delight after their next big play.

Synonyms

descant, quaver, trill, yodel

Anagrams of warble