Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense, 3rd person singular presenttense warbles, present participle warbling, past tense, past participle warbled
1. verb
When a bird warbles, it sings pleasantly.
The bird continued to warble. [VERB]
A flock of birds was already warbling a cheerful morning chorus. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: sing, trill, chirp, twitter More Synonyms of warble
2. verb
If someone warbles, they sing in a high-pitched, rather unsteady voice.
She warbled as she worked. [VERB]
...singers warbling 'Over the Rainbow'. [VERB noun]
Warble is also a noun.
...the soft warble of her speaking voice.
3. verb
When machines such as telephones warble, they make high-pitched sounds.
The telephone on his desk warbled. [VERB]
More Synonyms of warble
warble in British English1
(ˈwɔːbəl)
verb
1.
to sing (words, songs, etc) with trills, runs, and other embellishments
2. (transitive)
to utter in a song
3. US another word for yodel
noun
4.
the act or an instance of warbling
Word origin
C14: via Old French werbler from Germanic; compare Frankish hwirbilōn (unattested), Old High German wirbil whirlwind; see whirl
warble in British English2
(ˈwɔːbəl)
noun veterinary science
1.
a small lumpy abscess under the skin of cattle caused by infestation with larvae of the warble fly
2.
a hard tumorous lump of tissue on a horse's back, caused by prolonged friction of a saddle
Derived forms
warbled (ˈwarbled)
adjective
Word origin
C16: of uncertain origin
warble in American English1
(ˈwɔrbəl)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈwarbled or ˈwarbling
1.
to sing (a song, notes, etc.) melodiously, with trills, quavers, runs, etc., as a bird does
2.
to express in song
verb intransitive
3.
to sing melodiously, with trills, etc.
4.
to make a musical sound; babble, as a stream does
5. US
yodel
noun
6.
the act of warbling
7.
a warbling sound; trill
Word origin
ME werblen < NormFr werbler < Frank *wirbilon, akin to Ger wirbeln, to whirl, warble
warble in American English2
(ˈwɔrbəl)
noun
1.
a small, hard tumor on the back of a horse, caused by the rubbing and pressing of a saddle
2.
a lump or swelling under the hide of an animal, esp. on the back, caused by the presence of a larva of a botfly, esp. a warble fly
Derived forms
warbled (ˈwarbled)
adjective
Word origin
prob. < Scand, as in obs. Swed varbulde, a boil < var, pus + bulde, tumor
Examples of 'warble' in a sentence
warble
Their warbling spring song is also rarely heard.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He was warbling about a patch of grass in Wales.
The Sun (2011)
American friends have returned from visits there warbling about the most beautiful garden in England.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In the trees outside, a flock of birds was already warbling a cheerful morning chorus.
Thompkins, Peter, Bird, Christopher Secrets of the Soil (1990)
The males have a thin, warbling song that they deliver from fences and the tops of plants.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They have a short warbling song, which they sometimes sing sitting on top of a tall bean plant.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It wasn't unusual to answer a call and find him warbling away at the other end in an impersonation of Sinatra.
Duncan Hamilton Provided You Don't Kiss Me: 20 Years with Brian Clough (2007)
Word lists with
warble
Animal diseases
In other languages
warble
British English: warble VERB
bird When a bird warbles, it sings pleasantly.
The bird continued to warble.
The birds warble a little song.
American English: warble
Brazilian Portuguese: piar
Chinese: 鸣啭鸟
European Spanish: trinar
French: gazouiller
German: trällern
Italian: gorgheggiare
Japanese: さえずる
Korean: 지저귀다
European Portuguese: piar
Latin American Spanish: trinar
British English: warble VERB
person If someone warbles, they sing in a high-pitched, rather unsteady voice.
She warbled as she worked.
She is going to warble a love song.
American English: warble
Brazilian Portuguese: cantarolar
Chinese: 用颤音高唱
European Spanish: cantar trinando
French: roucouler
German: trällern
Italian: gorgheggiare
Japanese: 声を震わせて歌う
Korean: 높고 가는 소리로 노래하다
European Portuguese: cantarolar
Latin American Spanish: cantar trinando
(verb)
Definition
to sing in a high-pitched trilling voice
A flock of birds was warbling in the trees.
Synonyms
sing
Birds were already singing in the garden.
trill
chirp
The birds chirped loudly in the hedges.
twitter
There were birds twittering in the trees.
chirrup
make melody
pipe
quaver
Her voice quavered and she fell silent.
(noun)
the soft warble of her speaking voice
Synonyms
song
It's been a long time since I heard a blackbird's song in the evening.
trill
quaver
twitter
She would waken to the twitter of birds.
call
He heard calls coming from the cellar.
cry
Her brother gave a cry of recognition.
chirp
chirrup
Additional synonyms
in the sense of call
Definition
a cry or shout
He heard calls coming from the cellar.
Synonyms
cry,
shout,
scream,
yell,
whoop
in the sense of chirp
Definition
(of some birds and insects) to make a short high-pitched sound