trill

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See also: Trill

English

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Etymology 1

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From Middle English trillen, from Italian trillo, trillare. Compare German trillern, Norwegian trille, Swedish trilla.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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trill (plural trills)

  1. (music) A rapid alternation between an indicated note and the one above it as an ornament; in musical notation usually indicated with the letters tr written above the staff.
  2. (phonetics) A type of consonantal sound that is produced by vibrations of the tongue against the place of articulation: for example, Spanish ⟨rr⟩, /r/.
  3. A tremulous high-pitched vocal sound produced by cats.
Derived terms
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Translations
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Verb

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trill (third-person singular simple present trills, present participle trilling, simple past and past participle trilled)

  1. (intransitive) To create a trill sound; to utter trills or a trill; to play or sing in tremulous vibrations of sound; to have a trembling sound; to quaver.
    • 1692, John Dryden, Cleomenes, the Spartan Hero, a Tragedy:
      To judge of trilling notes and tripping feet.
  2. (transitive) To impart the quality of a trill to; to utter as, or with, a trill.
    to trill a note, or the letter r
Synonyms
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Derived terms
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Translations
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Further reading

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Etymology 2

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Perhaps identical to Etymology 3, but compare the same sense of drill, and German trillen, drillen.

Verb

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trill (third-person singular simple present trills, present participle trilling, simple past and past participle trilled)

  1. (intransitive, obsolete) To trickle.

Etymology 3

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Probably related to Old English þweran (to twirl, stir). Compare twirl, thirl, and Swedish trilla, Norwegian trille, etc.

Verb

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trill (third-person singular simple present trills, present participle trilling, simple past and past participle trilled)

  1. (intransitive, obsolete) To twirl.
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Etymology 4

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Perhaps a blend of true +‎ real, or from keep it real.

Adjective

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trill (comparative triller, superlative trillest)

  1. (slang, hip-hop culture) True, respected.
    • 2007, “Black History Month”, in The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!, performed by Saul Williams:
      All my trill niggas know who be bringin da funk / Lees and shell toes like it's Black History Month
    • 2013, Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar Games, level/area: Repossession:
      LAMAR: Oh, really? That's a nice change from fools comin' up on us. / FRANKLIN: That's trill, homie. / LAMAR: You damn straight that's trill, partner, but it's a shame I don't believe it. You wanna drop some notes on that shit, I'll give you the odds, homie.
    • 2013, “Wild for the Night”, performed by A$AP Rocky:
      Middle finger to the critics, me and my nigga Skrillex / You know we finna kill it, A$AP we the trillest

Albanian

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Noun

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trill m or f (plural trillime, definite trilli, definite plural trillimet)

  1. whim, tantrum, bizarre fantasy

Derived terms

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Norwegian Bokmål

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Verb

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trill

  1. imperative of trille