warble
warble Lexical Profile
warble Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A soft, melodious sound or song characterized by a succession of trills, quavers, or rapid pitch variations, especially as produced by a bird.
"We woke up early to listen to the cheerful warble of the wrens outside our cabin window."
A small, hard swelling or nodule under the hide of cattle, horses, or other mammals, caused by the developing larva of a warble fly.
"The veterinarian examined the cattle for warbles along their backs before clearing the herd for transport."
• verb
To sing softly and melodiously with a succession of trills, quavers, or rapid modulations in pitch (especially of a bird or human voice).
"A thrush began to warble from the top of the hawthorn hedge as the morning mist cleared."
• Rhymes for warble
Word Origin & Etymology
The musical sense derives from Middle English 'werblen', borrowed from Old Northern French 'werbler' (to sing with trills), of Germanic origin and related to Old High German 'wirbil' (whirlwind). The veterinary sense denoting a subcutaneous swelling is of uncertain origin, possibly from a dialectical word meaning 'hard swelling'.