Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Warble?

\War"ble\, n. [Cf. {Wormil}.] 1. (Far.) (a) A small, hard tumor which is produced on the back of a horse by the heat or pressure of the saddle in traveling. (b) A small tumor produced by the larv[ae] of the gadfly in the backs of horses, cattle, etc. Called also {warblet}, {warbeetle}, {warnles}. 2. (Zo["o]l.) See {Wormil}.
\War"ble\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Warbled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Warbling}.] [OE. werbelen, OF. werbler; of Teutonic origin; cf. G. wirbeln to turn, to warble, D. wervelen, akin to E. whirl. See {Whirl}.] 1. To sing in a trilling, quavering, or vibratory manner; to modulate with turns or variations; to trill; as, certain birds are remarkable for warbling their songs. 2. To utter musically; to modulate; to carol. If she be right invoked in warbled song. --Milton. Warbling sweet the nuptial lay. --Trumbull. 3. To cause to quaver or vibrate. ``And touch the warbled string.'' --Milton.
\War"ble\, v. i. 1. To be quavered or modulated; to be uttered melodiously. Such strains ne'er warble in the linnet's throat. --Gay. 3. To sing in a trilling manner, or with many turns and variations. ``Birds on the branches warbling.'' --Milton. 3. To sing with sudden changes from chest to head tones; to yodel.
\War"ble\, n. A quavering modulation of the voice; a musical trill; a song. And he, the wondrous child, Whose silver warble wild Outvalued every pulsing sound. --Emerson.