lilt
noun
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L17807 on Wikidata ↗verb
- move, sing, speak in a cheerful manner
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /lɪlt/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English lilten, lulten.
- Animated, brisk motion; spirited rhythm; sprightliness.
- A lively song or dance; a cheerful tune.
- A cheerful or melodious accent when speaking.
“Though Bane’s sing-song voice gives his pronouncements a funny lilt, he doesn’t have any of the Joker’s deranged wit, and Nolan isn’t interested in undercutting his seriousness for the sake of a breezier entertainment.”
verb
Etymology: From Middle English lilten, lulten.
- To do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music.
“Whether the bird flit here or there, O'er table lilt , or perch on chair”
- To sing cheerfully, especially in Gaelic.
- To utter with spirit, animation, or gaiety; to sing with spirit and liveliness.
“A classic lecture, rich in sentiment, / With scraps of thunderous epic lilted out / By violet-hooded doctors.”