Etymology From Middle English singen, from Old English singan (“to sing”), from Proto-West Germanic *singwan, from Proto-Germanic *singwaną (“to sing”), from Proto-Indo-European *sengʷʰ- (“to recite, sing”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian sjunge (“to sing”), West Frisian sjonge (“to sing”), Dutch zingen (“to sing”), German Low German singen (“to sing”), German singen (“to sing”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål synge (“to sing”), Swedish sjunga (“to sing”), Norwegian Nynorsk, Faroese, and Icelandic syngja (“to sing”), Ancient Greek ὀμφή (omphḗ, “voice, oracle”).
To produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice.
"I really want to sing in the school choir," said Vera.
And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders, and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Revelation 14:3:
2
To perform a vocal part in a musical composition, regardless of technique.
3
To express audibly by means of a harmonious vocalization.
sing a lullaby
In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, “The Tutor's Daughter”, in Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion, page 266:
4
To soothe with singing.
to sing somebody to sleep
› Of birds, to vocalise:
5
Biology, Natural sciences, OrnithologyAmbitransitive To produce a 'song', for the purposes of defending a breeding territory or to attract a mate.
6
Ambitransitive, Literary To produce any type of melodious vocalisation.
I do but sing because I must, And pipe but as the linnets sing: And unto one her note is gay, For now her little ones have ranged; And unto one her note is changed, Because her brood is stol’n away.1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 36:
The evening was still very warm, and the birds in the woods were singing in praise of spring.1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 68:
O'er his head the flying spear / Sang innocent, and spent its force in air.1715–1720, Homer, translated by Alexander Pope, “Book XXII”, in The Iliad of Homer, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC:
10
Ambitransitive To relate in verse; to celebrate in poetry; to praise.
Who would not ſing for Lycidas? he knew / Himſelf to ſing, and build the lofty rhyme.1637 (date written; published 1638), John Milton, “Lycidas”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC, page 57:
Again I bid the mournful Goddeſs write / The fond Purſuit of fugitive Delight: / Bid her exalt her melancholy Wing, / And rais'd from Earth, and ſav'd from Paſſion, ſing / Of human Hope by croſs Event deſtroyed, / Of uſeleſs Wealth, and Greatneſs unenjoy'd, […]1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Solomon on the Vanity of the World. A Poem in Three Books.”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC, book II (Pleasure), page 468:
1 more example
If chocolate is America’s most magnificent culinary obsession — and it seems to be, what with best-selling books either admitting the chocolatoholic tendencies of the author or singing the joys of the stuff — then Valentine’s Day has got to be the chocolate lover’s holiday.1983 January 26, Cathy Mauk, “Chocolate desserts to melt your Valentine’s heart”, in The Forum, volume 105, number 71, Fargo, N.D., →ISSN, →OCLC, page B-4, column 1:
11
To display fine qualities; to stand out as excellent.
The sauce really makes this lamb sing.
[Alissa Monte said] “This result was all about demonstrating that LZ [the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment] works, and it does! As we take more data and mature our analyses, we get to make LZ sing. […]”2022 July 7, Sonia Fernandez, “‘Out of the Starting Gate’”, in The Current, University of California, Santa Barbara, archived from the original on 07 Jul 2022:
12
Ergative To be capable of being sung; to produce a certain effect by being sung.
No song sings well unless it is open-vowelled, and has the rhythmic stress on the vowels. Tennyson's songs, for instance, are not generally adapted to music.1875, Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, volume 118, page 685:
13
Australia In traditional Aboriginal culture, to direct a supernatural influence on (a person or thing), usually malign; to curse.
‘He says the Walcott Inlet men have sung him, and this tribe will meet the Walcott men and fight when the big walk-about comes, after the peanut season.’1937, Ion L. Idriess, Over the Range, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, published 1947, page 212:
‘We sung them two real good. We never give Louis Beck no place to find rest from his torment.’2002, Alex Miller, Journey to the Stone Country, Allen & Unwin, published 2003, page 343:
I took my flogging like a stone. If I had sung, some of the convicts would have given me some lush with a locust in it (laudanum hocussing), and when I was asleep would have given me a crack on the head that would have laid me straight.1851, Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor, published 1861:
Etymology From Middle English singen, from Old English singan (“to sing”), from Proto-West Germanic *singwan, from Proto-Germanic *singwaną (“to sing”), from Proto-Indo-European *sengʷʰ- (“to recite, sing”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian sjunge (“to sing”), West Frisian sjonge (“to sing”), Dutch zingen (“to sing”), German Low German singen (“to sing”), German singen (“to sing”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål synge (“to sing”), Swedish sjunga (“to sing”), Norwegian Nynorsk, Faroese, and Icelandic syngja (“to sing”), Ancient Greek ὀμφή (omphḗ, “voice, oracle”).
1
The act, or event, of singing songs.
I sometimes have a quick sing in the shower.
Then all three would go off in search of the first, give it a good talking to and maybe a bit of a sing as well.1982, Douglas Adams, Life, the Universe and Everything, page 55:
2 more examples
Some of the young folks asked Mrs. Long could they have a sing at her home that Sunday afternoon; she readily agreed, telling them to come early, bring their songbooks, and have a good sing.2002, Martha Mizell Puckett, Hoyle B. Puckett, Memories of a Georgia Teacher: Fifty Years in the Classroom, page 198:
'Ah, yes, Miss Fisher, have you had a nice sing?'2016, Kerry Greenwood, Murder and Mendelssohn, Sydney: Allen and Unwin, page 287:
2
Any sound likened to human singing.
heard the unmistakable twang of bowstrings against bracers, the sing of a long-bow volley, and made for the door1921, Gilbert Frankau, The Seeds of Enchantment:
the sing of axe on concretea. 1972, Sandy Cunningham, Far Back Down:
1 more example
Archie and Clem know gunshots when they hear them and the sing of a bullet as it drills the windshield and exits the back glass of the truck.2007, Sam L. Bevard, Through the Back Gate: