lilt

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

lilt, v. i. [Cf. Norw. lilla, lirla, to sing in a high tone.].

•  To do anything with animation and quickness, as to skip, fly, or hop.  Wordsworth.  [1913 Webster]
•  To sing cheerfully.  [1913 Webster]

lilt, v. t. 

 To utter with spirit, animation, or gayety; to sing with spirit and liveliness.  [1913 Webster]
"A classic lecture, rich in sentiment,
With scraps of thundrous epic lilted out
By violet-hooded doctors."  [1913 Webster]

lilt, n. 

•  Animated, brisk motion; spirited rhythm; sprightliness.  [1913 Webster]

  "The movement, the lilt, and the subtle charm of the verse."  [1913 Webster]
•  A lively song or dance; a cheerful tune.  [1913 Webster]

  "The housewife went about her work, or spun at her wheel, with a lilt upon her lips."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

lilt, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a light springing rhythm or gait. b a song or tune marked by this.
2 (of the voice) a characteristic cadence or inflection; a pleasant accent.
--v.intr. (esp. as lilting adj.) move or speak etc. with a lilt (a lilting step; a lilting melody).

Etymology

ME lilte, l{uuml}lte, of unkn. orig.

THESAURUS

lilt

Alexandrine, Brautlied, Christmas carol, Kunstlied, Liebeslied, Volkslied, accent, accentuation, alba, amphibrach, amphimacer, anacrusis, anapest, anthem, antispast, arsis, art song, aubade, bacchius, ballad, ballade, ballata, barcarole, bark, bawl, beam, beat, bellow, blare, blat, blubber, blues, blues song, boat song, boom, bray, breathe, bridal hymn, brindisi, buzz, cackle, cadence, caesura, calypso, canso, canticle, canzone, canzonet, canzonetta, caper, caracole, carol, catalexis, cavatina, chanson, chant, chantey, chirp, chirrup, chloriamb, chloriambus, choir, chorus, clap hands, colon, coo, counterpoint, cretic, croon, croon song, crow, dactyl, dactylic hexameter, dance, delight, descant, diaeresis, dimeter, dipody, dirge, ditty, do-re-mi, dochmiac, drawl, drinking song, elegiac, elegiac couplet, elegiac pentameter, emphasis, epithalamium, epitrite, exclaim, exult, feminine caesura, flute, folk song, foot, frisk, frolic, gambol, gasp, glory, glow, growl, grunt, heptameter, heptapody, heroic couplet, hexameter, hexapody, hiss, hum, hymeneal, hymn, iamb, iambic, iambic pentameter, ictus, intonate, intone, ionic, jingle, joy, jubilate, keen, laugh, lay, lied, love song, love-lilt, masculine caesura, matin, measure, meter, metrical accent, metrical foot, metrical group, metrical unit, metrics, metron, minstrel, minstrel song, minstrelsy, molossus, mora, movement, mumble, murmur, mutter, national anthem, number, numbers, paeon, pant, pentameter, pentapody, period, pipe, proceleusmatic, prosody, prothalamium, psalm, pyrrhic, quantity, quaver, radiate cheer, rejoice, revel, rhythm, rhythmic pattern, roar, rollick, romp, roulade, rumble, scream, screech, serena, serenade, serenata, shake, shriek, sibilate, sigh, sing, sing in chorus, skip, skip for joy, smile, snap, snarl, snort, sob, sol-fa, solmizate, song, sparkle, spondee, sprung rhythm, squall, squawk, squeal, stress, swing, syzygy, tetrameter, tetrapody, tetraseme, theme song, thesis, thunder, torch song, tremolo, tribrach, trill, trimeter, tripody, triseme, trochee, troll, trumpet, twang, tweedle, tweedledee, twit, twitter, vocalize, wail, war song, warble, wedding song, whine, whisper, whistle, yap, yawp, yell, yelp, yodel

ROGET THESAURUS

lilt

Cheerfulness

VB be cheerful, have the mind at ease, smile, put a good face upon, keep up one's spirits, view the bright side of the picture, view things en couleur de rose, ridentem dicere virum, cheer up, brighten up, light up, bear up, chirp, take heart, cast away care, drive dull care away, perk up, keep a stiff upper lip, rejoice, carol, chirrup, lilt, frisk, rollick, give a loose to mirth, cheer, enliven, elate, exhilarate, gladden, inspirit, animate, raise the spirits, inspire, perk up, put in good humor, cheer the heart, rejoice the heart, delight.

Musician

VB play, pipe, strike up, sweep the chords, tweedle, fiddle, strike the lyre, beat the drum, blow the horn, sound the horn, wind the horn, doodle, grind the organ, touch the guitar, thrum, strum, beat time, execute, perform, accompany, sing a second, play a second, compose, set to music, arrange, sing, chaunt, chant, hum, warble, carol, chirp, chirrup, lilt, purl, quaver, trill, shake, twitter, whistle, sol-fa, intone, have an ear for music, have a musical ear, have a correct ear.