IPA: /lɪlt/
KK: /lɪlt/
To move or speak in a cheerful and lively way, often with a rhythmic quality.
The children began to lilt as they danced around the garden.
Past: lilted
Past Participle: lilted
A cheerful and lively way of speaking or singing, where the voice has a pleasant rise and fall in pitch.
The singer's lilt made the song sound joyful and uplifting.
To express something in a cheerful and rhythmic way, often through singing or speaking.
She began to lilt a happy tune as she worked in the garden.
Past: lilted
Past Participle: lilted
The word 'lilt' originates from Middle English 'liltan', meaning to sing or chant. It is related to the Old Norse 'lilta', meaning to sing or to play music. The word describes a cheerful or lively manner of singing or speaking.
Imagine a joyful tune or a lively song — that's what 'lilt' captures, as it means to sing or speak in a cheerful way.