Trill , n. [It. trillo, fr.
trillare. See Trill to shake.]
1. 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.
2. The action of
the organs in producing such sounds; as, to give a trill to the tongue. d
3. (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.
Trill , v. i. 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.
Trill , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Trilled (?);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Trilling.]
[It.
trillare; probably of
imitative origin.]
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.
Trill (?), v. t. [OE. trillen; cf. Sw. trilla to roll.]
To turn round; to twirl. [Obs.] Gascoigne.
Bid him descend and trill another pin.
Chaucer.
Trill (?), v. i. [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.
Hear it pronounced