shrill Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb utter a shrill cry
    pipe; pipe up; shriek.
  2. adjective satellite having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
    sharp.
    • a shrill whistle
    • a shrill gaiety
  3. adjective satellite being sharply insistent on being heard
    strident.
    • strident demands
    • shrill criticism
  4. adjective satellite of colors that are bright and gaudy
    • a shrill turquoise

WordNet

Shrill adjective
Etymology
OE. shril, schril; akin to LG. schrell, G. schrill. See Shrill,v. i.
Wordforms
comparative Shriller ; superlative Shrillest
Definitions
  1. Acute; sharp; piercing; having or emitting a sharp, piercing tone or sound; -- said a sound, or of that which produces a sound.
    Hear the shrill whistle which doth order give To sounds confused. Shak.
    Let winds be shrill, let waves roll high. Byron.
Shrill noun
Definitions
  1. A shrill sound. Obs. Spenser.
Shrill intransitive verb
Etymology
OE. schrillen, akin to G. schrillen; cf. AS. scralletan to resound loudly, Icel. skrölta to jolt, Sw. skrälla to shrill, Norw. skryla, skrla. Cf. Skirl.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Shrilled ; present participle & verbal noun Shrilling
Definitions
  1. To utter an acute, piercing sound; to sound with a sharp, shrill tone; to become shrill.
    Break we our pipes, that shrilledloud as lark. Spenser.
    No sounds were heard but of the shrilling cock. Goldsmith.
    His voice shrilled with passion. L. Wallace.
Shrill transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To utter or express in a shrill tone; to cause to make a shrill sound.
    How poor Andromache shrills her dolors forth. Shak.

Webster 1913