ballad

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A narrative poem, often of folk origin and intended to be sung, consisting of simple stanzas and usually having a refrain.
2. n. The music for such a poem.
3. n. A popular song especially of a romantic or sentimental nature.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A song intended as an accompaniment to a dance.
2. n. The tune to which such a song is sung.
3. n. A short narrative poem, especially one adapted for singing; a poem partly epic and partly lyric. As applied to the minstrelsy of the borders of England and Scotland, and of Scandinavia and Spain, the ballad is a sort of minor epic, reciting in verse more or less rude the exploits of warriors, the adventures of lovers, and the mysteries of fairyland, designed to be rehearsed in musical recitative accompanied by the harp.
4. n. In music, originally, a short and simple vocal melody, often adapted to more than one stanza of poetry and having a simple instrumental accompaniment. The term is sometimes applied to instrumental melodies of a similar character, and more loosely to more elaborate compositions in which a narrative idea is intended to be expressed.
5. To make or sing ballads.
6. To celebrate in a ballad.

Wiktionary

1. n. A long song or poem that tells a story.
2. n. A slow romantic pop song.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A popular kind of narrative poem, adapted for recitation or singing; ; esp., a sentimental or romantic poem in short stanzas.
2. v. To make or sing ballads.
3. v. To make mention of in ballads.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a narrative poem of popular origin
2. n. a narrative song with a recurrent refrain