warble

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈwɔːr.bəl/ UK /ˈwɔː.bəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #47873

Meanings

1

verb
to sing with trills or rapid, smooth variations in pitch, like a bird

A blackbird began to warble from the top of the hedge.
2

noun
a melodious trill or a sequence of notes that rises and falls

The robin's bright warble carried across the garden.
3

noun
veterinary medicine: a swelling under an animal's skin caused by the larva of a botfly

The veterinarian removed a warble from the cow's back.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to sing with trills or... trill quaver sing

2 noun · a melodious trill or a... trill melody song

3 noun · veterinary medicine: a... botfly swelling

Word family

Forms warbledwarbling

Derived forms warblerwarbly

Related forms trillbirdsongbotflywarble fly

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

warble fly
a fly whose larvae cause swellings beneath the skin of cattle

Noun + noun

Etymology

The musical word comes through Middle English werble from Picard Old French, from a Germanic verb related to whirl, reflecting turns and trills in melody. The veterinary noun is separate and probably Scandinavian, related to an old Swedish compound for a pus-filled swelling.

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# warble

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈwɔːr.bəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈwɔː.bəl/
**Frequency rank:** 47873

## Meanings
1. to sing with trills or rapid, smooth variations in pitch, like a bird
2. a melodious trill or a sequence of notes that rises and falls
3. veterinary medicine: a swelling under an animal's skin caused by the larva of a botfly

## Examples
- A blackbird began to warble from the top of the hedge.
- The robin's bright warble carried across the garden.
- The veterinarian removed a warble from the cow's back.

## Synonyms
- trill
- quaver
- sing
- melody
- song
- botfly swelling

## Derived Forms
- warbler
- warbly

## Related Forms
- trill
- birdsong
- botfly
- warble fly

## Etymology
The musical word comes through Middle English werble from Picard Old French, from a Germanic verb related to whirl, reflecting turns and trills in melody. The veterinary noun is separate and probably Scandinavian, related to an old Swedish compound for a pus-filled swelling.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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