trill Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a note that alternates rapidly with another note a semitone above it
shake.
noun the articulation of a consonant (especially the consonant `r') with a rapid flutter of the tongue against the palate or uvula
- he pronounced his R's with a distinct trill
verb pronounce with a trill, of the phoneme `r'
- Some speakers trill their r's
verb sing or play with trills, alternating with the half note above or below
quaver; warble.

OE. trillen to roll, turn round; of Scand. origin; cf. Sw. trilla to roll, Dan. trilde, Icel. þyrla to whirl, and E. thrill. Cf. Thrill.

To flow in a small stream, or in drops rapidly succeeding each other; to trickle. Sir W. Scott.
And now and then an ample tear trilled down Her delicate cheek. Shak.

Whispered sounds Of waters, trilling from the riven stone. Glover.

OE. trillen; cf. Sw. trilla to roll.

To turn round; to twirl. Obs. Gascoigne.
Bid him descend and trill another pin. Chaucer.

It. trillare; probably of imitative origin.

imperfect & past participle Trilled ; present participle & verbal noun Trilling

To impart the quality of a trill to; to utter as, or with, a trill; as, to trill the r; to trill a note.
The sober-suited songstress trills her lay. Thomson.

To utter trills or a trill; to play or sing in tremulous vibrations of sound; to have a trembling sound; to quaver.
To judge of trilling notes and tripping feet. Dryden.

It. trillo, fr. trillare. See Trill to shake.

A sound, of consonantal character, made with a rapid succession of partial or entire intermissions, by the vibration of some one part of the organs in the mouth -- tongue, uvula, epiglottis, or lip -- against another part; as, the r is a trill in most languages.
The action of the organs in producing such sounds; as, to give a trill to the tongue. d
(Mus.) A shake or quaver of the voice in singing, or of the sound of an instrument, produced by the rapid alternation of two contiguous tones of the scale; as, to give a trill on the high C. See Shake.