sing

verb

/sɪŋ/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they sing	/sɪŋ/ /sɪŋ/
he / she / it sings	/sɪŋz/ /sɪŋz/
past simple sang	/sæŋ/ /sæŋ/
past participle sung	/sʌŋ/ /sʌŋ/
-ing form singing	/ˈsɪŋɪŋ/ /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/

Idioms Phrasal Verbs

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[intransitive, transitive] to make musical sounds with your voice in the form of a song or tune
- I just can't sing in tune!
- I always wanted to be on stage, singing and dancing.
- He was dancing around and singing at the top of his voice (= very loudly).
- The role is traditionally sung by a tenor.
- She usually sings in the shower.
- I was invited to sing in a choir.
- The chorus sang beautifully.
- sing to somebody He was singing softly to the baby.
- sing something to sing a hymn/an anthem
- Now I'd like to sing a song by the Beatles.
- sing something to somebody Will you sing a song to us?
- We all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her.
- sing somebody something Will you sing us a song?
- sing somebody to sleep She sang the baby to sleep (= sang until the baby went to sleep).
Collocations Music
MusicListening
- listen to/enjoy/love/be into music/classical music/jazz/pop/hip-hop, etc.
- listen to the radio/an MP3 player/a CD
- put on/play a CD/a song/some music
- turn down/up the music/radio/volume/bass
- go to a concert/festival/gig/performance/recital
- copy/burn/rip music/a CD/a DVD
- download/stream music/an album/a song/a video/a playlist
Playing
- play a musical instrument/the piano/percussion/a note/a riff/the melody/a concerto/a duet/by ear
- sing an anthem/a ballad/a solo/an aria/the blues/in a choir/soprano/alto/tenor/bass/out of tune
- hum a tune/a theme tune/a lullaby
- accompany a singer/choir
- strum a chord/guitar
Performing
- form/start/get together/join/quit/leave a band
- give a performance/concert/recital
- do a concert/recital/gig
- play a concert/gig/festival/venue
- perform (British English) at/in a concert/(especially North American English) a concert
- appear at a festival/live
- go on/embark on a (world) tour
Recording
- write/compose music/a ballad/a melody/a tune/a song/a theme song/an opera/a symphony
- land/get/sign a record deal
- be signed to/be dropped by a record company
- record/release/put out an album/a single/a CD
- be top of/top the charts
- get to/go straight to/go straight in at/enter the charts at number one
More Like This Verbs with two objects
Verbs with two objects
- bet
- bring
- build
- buy
- cost
- get
- give
- leave
- lend
- make
- offer
- owe
- pass
- pay
- play
- post
- promise
- read
- refuse
- sell
- send
- show
- sing
- take
- teach
- tell
- throw
- wish
- write
Wordfinder
- beat
- harmony
- melody
- music
- note
- rhythm
- sing
- tempo
- tone
- vocal
Extra Examples
- Have you ever heard the band sing live?
- He was singing quietly to himself.
- I can't sing very well.
- Shall I sing to you?
- She could sing a bit and agreed to take part in the show.
- We played and sang together.
- boy bands singing about love
Topics Musica1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- loud
- loudly
- lustily
- …
verb + sing
- be able to
- can
preposition
- about
- to
phrases
- be sung to the tune of something
- sing at the top of your lungs
- sing at the top of your voice
- …
See full entry
[intransitive] (of birds) to make high musical sounds
- The birds were singing outside my window.
- Birds started singing because they thought dawn had broken.
- Every bird in the field was singing its heart out (= singing loudly, as if it was very happy).
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- loud
- loudly
- lustily
- …
verb + sing
- be able to
- can
preposition
- about
- to
phrases
- be sung to the tune of something
- sing at the top of your lungs
- sing at the top of your voice
- …
See full entry
[intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to make a high ringing sound like a whistle (= a small metal or plastic tube that you blow to make a loud high sound)
- Bullets sang past my ears.
- She felt faint and the blood was singing in her head.
- The kettle was singing away on the stove.

Word OriginOld English singan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zingen and German singen.

Idioms

it’s not over until the fat lady sings

(saying) used for saying that a situation may still change, for example that a contest, election, etc. is not finished yet, and somebody still has a chance to win it

sing a different tune

to change your opinion about somebody/something or your attitude towards somebody/somethingTopics Opinion and argumentc2

sing from the same hymn/song sheet

(British English, informal) to show that you are in agreement with each other by saying the same things in publicTopics Opinion and argumentc2

sing somebody's praises

to praise somebody very highly
- She's always singing his praises.