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  1. ditty love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. A simple song.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. A song, or poem intended to be sung, usually short and simple in form, and set to a simple melody; any short simple song. Originally applied to any short poetical composition (lyric or ballad) intended to be sung, the word came to be restricted chiefly to songs of simple rustic character, being often used of the songs of birds.
  2. n. The words of a song, as opposed to the tune or music.
  3. n. A refrain; a saying often repeated.
  4. n. Clamor; cry; noise.
  5. To sing a ditty; warble a tune.
  6. To sing.

Wiktionary

  1. n. A short verse or tune.
  2. v. To sing; to warble a little tune.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. A saying or utterance; especially, one that is short and frequently repeated; a theme.
  2. n. A song; a lay; a little poem intended to be sung.
  3. v. To sing; to warble a little tune.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. a short simple song (or the words of a poem intended to be sung)

Etymologies

  1. From Old French ditie or dité, from ditier, from Latin dictāre (participle dictatus). (Wiktionary)
  2. Middle English dite, a literary composition, from Old French dite, from Latin dictātum, thing dictated, from neuter past participle of dictāre, to dictate, frequentative of dīcere, to say; see deik- in Indo-European roots. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

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Comments

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  • PossibleUnderscore No no, it's ok. My mistake, you're right. Thanks. Jul 18, 2009

  • thesaurosie PossibleUnderscore, are you sure you're not thinking of 'ditzy'? I apologise if I'm wrong and being condescending. Jul 18, 2009

  • PossibleUnderscore Ditty is also used to describe frivilous people. I think. Jul 18, 2009

  • yarb One day after dinner I went into his room, just as he was tuning his guitar. To hear him more at my ease, I sat down on the only stool; while he, reclining on his bed, played a pathetic air, and sang to it a ditty, expressing the despair of a lover and the cruelty of his mistress.

    - Lesage, The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane, tr. Smollett, bk 9 ch. 5 Oct 7, 2008

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‘ditty’ has been looked up 2907 times, loved by 6 people, added to 17 lists, commented on 4 times, and has a Scrabble score of 9.