lilt

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“
He played a love-lilt, and the flowers sprang up in full bloom from the cold earth, and the dreaming red rosebud opened wide her velvet petals, and all the land seemed full of the loving echoes of the lilt he played.

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Definitions (18)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (6)

  1. noun A cheerful or lively manner of speaking, in which the pitch of the voice varies pleasantly.
  2. noun A light, happy tune or song.
  3. noun A light or resilient manner of moving or walking.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (7)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (3)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (2)

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Examples (50)

  • She walked with a quick lilt, her chin up and her hair crackling like a banner on the rainy wind. —  Author Galley
  • There wasn't much Oriental lilt, and there was quite a glottal stop such as the old Hawaiian language had. —  179 - The Green Master
  • Every woman understands the power of a pair of heels; they give your walk a sexier lilt, they make you feel like Jessica Rabbit, and the extra heel height means you can look down on all your friends. —  Top stories from Times Online
  • "Beach Goth" recalls The Jesus and Mary Chain in its fried surf-rock lilt, and "Weed Demon" lays off-kilter harmonies over an almost-tuned guitar. —  Dallas Observer | Complete Issue
  • "Beach Goth" recalls the Jesus and Mary Chain in its fried surf-rock lilt, and "Weed Demon" lays off-kilter harmonies over an almost-tuned guitar. —  SF Weekly | Complete Issue
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This word has been looked up 130 times.

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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. From Middle English lulten, lilten, to sound an alarm.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. from Middle English lilten, lulten; origin obscure.
  2. from lilt, v.
 

Pronunciations
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/lɪlt/
by American Heritage

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