trill
/trɪl/ (bre, ipa) · [trˈɪl] /trɪl/ (ame, ipa) · [trˈɪl] /ˈtril How to pronounce trill (audio)/ (ame, mw)
trill — verb
- trillpresent simple I / you / we / they
- trills3rd person singular
- trilling-ing form
- trilledpast simple
1. if a bird trills, it sends out short, bright notes again and again in a smooth p
if a bird trills, it sends out short, bright notes again and again in a smooth pattern.
At sunrise, a robin trilled from the fence outside Wei's kitchen.
bird + trill + from + [place]
Hidden in the pine tree, the canary trilled whenever Romi opened the window.
Several small birds trilled above the lake as the fishing boats returned.
After the rain stopped, one sparrow trilled brightly on the school gate.
文法句型
bird + trill + from/in/on + [place]
bird + trill + at dawn/in the rain
用法筆記
Usually used without an object and most often with the bird as the subject. Distinguish from sense 3: sense 1 is the natural sound of a bird, not a planned musical effect.
常見錯誤
2. to say something in a bright, high voice that sounds musical, excited, or affect
to say something in a bright, high voice that sounds musical, excited, or affected.
"Welcome home!" Jenna trilled from the hallway before anyone put down a bag.
trill + quoted greeting
Putri trilled a cheerful hello across the bakery when Christopher arrived.
trill + greeting
From the ticket desk, Elise trilled that the last seats were still free.
Anjali trilled into the phone, asking if the picnic had started.
文法句型
person + trill + greeting/message
person + trill + that-clause
person + trill + into/across + [place]
用法筆記
Often suggests a voice that is deliberately light or lively, sometimes to sound charming. Common with greetings, short messages, or quoted speech rather than long stretches of serious talk.
3. to decorate music by jumping very fast between one pitch and a neighboring pitch
to decorate music by jumping very fast between one pitch and a neighboring pitch.
During rehearsal, Joao trilled the top note until the flute line sounded even.
trill + the top note
The violinist trilled between two notes while the conductor held up one finger.
trill between two notes
On the final beat, Romi trilled softly before the choir came in.
The student trilled the phrase again, trying to keep both notes clear.
文法句型
player + trill + note/phrase
trill + between + two notes
trill + softly/briefly
用法筆記
Used for a musical ornament, especially in singing or on instruments. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 3 is an intentional performance choice, not an animal sound.
常見錯誤
4. to say a sound, especially r, with quick repeated vibration in the mouth.
to say a sound, especially r, with quick repeated vibration in the mouth.
The coach asked Eli to trill the r in the Spanish word.
trill the r
Zayd could trill the sound easily after listening to the recording twice.
During class, the children laughed when Christopher trilled the r too long.
The actor trilled one consonant to make the village accent sound older.
- roll
common informal verb, especially in phrases like 'roll your r's'
- pronounce
much broader and does not itself imply vibration
- articulate
more formal and used for speech sounds generally
文法句型
trill + r/consonant
trill + sound + in + [word/language]
用法筆記
Most often used when teachers or linguists talk about the r sound in languages such as Spanish or Italian. It focuses on the way the sound is formed, not on the meaning of the word being spoken.
trill — noun
- trillsingular
- trillsplural
1. a quick musical ornament made by switching back and forth between two neighborin
a quick musical ornament made by switching back and forth between two neighboring notes.
The pianist added a trill before the last chord of the waltz.
add a trill
Our teacher circled the trill above the note and told us to slow down.
the trill above the note
A quick trill gave the melody a brighter, more playful finish.
The singer repeated the trill until both pitches sounded smooth together.
- ornament
general term for decorative musical detail
- shake
older term that can refer to a similar rapid alternation
- embellishment
broader word for any decorative addition in music
文法句型
add/play/sing + a trill
trill + above/on + note
用法筆記
Usually refers to the ornament itself, either as a written sign or as the sound a player makes. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 1 belongs to music performance, not to bird calls.
2. a bird's short run of bright notes made in rapid sequence.
a bird's short run of bright notes made in rapid sequence.
We heard a clear trill from the hedge before the bus reached the stop.
hear a trill from + [place]
At dawn, the blackbird's trill floated over the wet football field.
bird's trill
One bright trill from the roof told us the swallows were back.
The guide paused so the children could listen to the thrush's trill.
文法句型
hear + trill + from + [place]
bird's + trill
用法筆記
Often used when a speaker wants to notice a bird sound as a single burst rather than describe the whole song. Unlike sense 1, the source of the sound is an animal, not a piece of music.
3. a consonant sound made when the tongue or another speech part beats quickly agai
a consonant sound made when the tongue or another speech part beats quickly against a surface in the mouth.
The teacher played a recording of the Spanish trill for the class.
Spanish trill
Her Italian trill became clearer after a week of careful practice.
Italian trill
The speech therapist showed Wei where the tongue should touch to make the trill.
In the lesson, Joao compared the trill with the softer English r.
文法句型
Spanish/Italian + trill
produce/practice + a trill
用法筆記
Common in phonetics and language teaching, especially when people talk about the sound written with r in some languages. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 3 is a speech sound category, not a musical ornament.