trill
English
Etymology 1
From Middle English trillen, from Italian trillo, trillare. Compare Norwegian trille, Swedish trilla.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /tɹɪl/, [t̠ʰɹ̠̊ɪl]
- Rhymes: -ɪl
Audio (UK) (file)
Noun
trill (plural trills)
- (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.
- (phonetics) 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.
Derived terms
- trilly
Translations
rapid alternation of notes
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vibrating consonant
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Verb
trill (third-person singular simple present trills, present participle trilling, simple past and past participle trilled)
- (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.
- 1692, John Dryden, Cleomenes, the Spartan Hero, a Tragedy
- (transitive) To impart the quality of a trill to; to utter as, or with, a trill.
- to trill a note, or the letter r
- 1727, James Thomson, “Summer”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, OCLC 642619686:
- The sober-suited songstress trills her lay.
Synonyms
- roll
Derived terms
- triller
Translations
to make a tremulous sound
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Further reading
trill (music) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia - trill consonant on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Etymology 2
Perhaps identical to Etymology 3, but compare the same sense of drill, and German trillen, drillen.
Verb
trill (third-person singular simple present trills, present participle trilling, simple past and past participle trilled)
- (intransitive, obsolete) To trickle.
- 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 30, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821:
- 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.
- c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act IV, scene iii]:
- And now and then an ample tear trilled down / Her delicate cheek.
- 1737, Richard Glover, Leonidas Book {{{1}}}
- Whisper'd sounds / Of waters, trilling from the riven stone.
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Etymology 3
Probably related to Old English þweran (“to twirl, stir”). Compare twirl, thirl, and Swedish trilla, Norwegian trille, etc.
Verb
trill (third-person singular simple present trills, present participle trilling, simple past and past participle trilled)
- (intransitive, obsolete) To twirl.
Related terms
- tirl
Etymology 4
Perhaps a blend of true + real.
Adjective
trill (comparative triller, superlative trillest)
- (slang, hip-hop culture) true, respected
- 2007, “Black History Month”, in The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!, performed by Saul Williams:
- All my trill niggas know who be bringin da funk / Lees and shell toes like it's Black History Month
- 2013, Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar Games, level/area: Repossession:
- LAMAR: Oh, really? That's a nice change from fools comin' up on us. / FRANKLIN: That's trill, homie. / LAMAR: You damn straight that's trill, partner, but it's a shame I don't believe it. You wanna drop some notes on that shit, I'll give you the odds, homie.
- 2013, “Wild for the Night”, performed by A$AP Rocky:
- Middle finger to the critics, me and my nigga Skrillex / You know we finna kill it, A$AP we the trillest
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Albanian
Noun
trill ? (indefinite plural trillime, definite singular trilli, definite plural trillimet)
- whim, tantrum, bizarre fantasy
Derived terms
- trilloj
Norwegian Bokmål
Verb
trill
- imperative of trille