warble Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a lumpy abscess under the hide of domestic mammals caused by larvae of a botfly or warble fly
  2. verb sing or play with trills, alternating with the half note above or below
    quaver; trill.
  3. verb sing by changing register; sing by yodeling
    descant; yodel.
    • The Austrians were yodeling in the mountains

WordNet

War"ble noun
Etymology
Cf. Wormil.
Definitions
  1. (Far.) (a) A small, hard tumor which is produced on the back of a horse by the heat or pressure of the saddle in traveling. (b) A small tumor produced by the larvæ of the gadfly in the backs of horses, cattle, etc. Called also warblet, warbeetle, warnles.
  2. (Zoöl.) See Wormil.
War"ble transitive verb
Etymology
OE. werbelen, OF. werbler; of Teutonic origin; cf. G. wirbeln to turn, to warble, D. wervelen, akin to E. whirl. See Whirl.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Warbled ; present participle & verbal noun Warbling
Definitions
  1. To sing in a trilling, quavering, or vibratory manner; to modulate with turns or variations; to trill; as, certain birds are remarkable for warbling their songs.
  2. To utter musically; to modulate; to carol.
    If she be right invoked in warbled song. Milton.
    Warbling sweet the nuptial lay. Trumbull.
  3. To cause to quaver or vibrate. "And touch the warbled string." Milton.
War"ble intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To be quavered or modulated; to be uttered melodiously.
    Such strains ne'er warble in the linnet's throat. Gay.
  2. To sing in a trilling manner, or with many turns and variations. "Birds on the branches warbling." Milton.
  3. To sing with sudden changes from chest to head tones; to yodel.
War"ble noun
Definitions
  1. A quavering modulation of the voice; a musical trill; a song.
    And he, the wondrous child, Whose silver warble wild Outvalued every pulsing sound. Emerson.

Webster 1913