song

¹

[ sawng, song ]

noun

1. a short metrical composition intended or adapted for singing, especially one in rhymed stanzas; a lyric; a ballad.
2. a musical piece adapted for singing or simulating a piece to be sung: sung:

   Mendelssohn's “Songs without Words.”

3. poetical composition; poetry.
4. the art or act of singing; vocal music.
5. something that is sung. sung.
6. an elaborate vocal signal produced by an animal, as the distinctive sounds produced by certain birds, frogs, etc., in a courtship or territorial display.

Song

²

[ sawng ]

noun

, Pinyin.

1. a dynasty in China, a.d. 960–1279, characterized by a high level of achievement in painting, ceramics, and philosophy: overthrown by the Mongols. Also (Wade-Giles) Sung [].
2. Ai·ling [ahy, -, ling]. Ai-ling Soong.
3. Qing·ling [ching, -, ling]. Ching-ling Soong.
4. Mei·ling [mey, -, ling]. Mei-ling Soong.
5. Zi·wen [zœ, -, wuhn]. Tse-ven Soong.

Song

¹

/ sʊŋ /

noun

1. the Pinyin transliteration of the Chinese name for Sung

song

²

/ sɒŋ /

noun

1. 1. a piece of music, usually employing a verbal text, composed for the voice, esp one intended for performance by a soloist
   2. the whole repertory of such pieces
   3. ( as modifier )

      a song book

2. poetical composition; poetry
3. the characteristic tuneful call or sound made by certain birds or insects
4. the act or process of singing

   they raised their voices in song

5. for a song
   at a bargain price
6. on song informal.
   performing at peak efficiency or ability

Derived Forms

• ˈsongˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• songlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of song¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English song, sang, Old English; cognate with German Sang, Old Norse sǫngr, Gothic saggws

Word History and Origins

Origin of song¹

Old English sang; related to Gothic saggws, Old High German sang; see sing

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. for a song, at a very low price; as a bargain:

   We bought the rug for a song when the estate was auctioned off.

More idioms and phrases containing song

In addition to the idiom beginning with song , also see for a song ; swan song .

Example Sentences

Nelson told the Sun Sentinel he will continue to use the Twisted Sister song, despite Snider’s criticism.

From Fortune

The ’90s cover band behind her struck up a song and a ribbon was cut with five pairs of oversize scissors.

From ProPublica

For example, someone could ask their Internet-connected set-top box to play a song from their web-connected speaker.

From Fortune

The most popular songs appear to be getting a little less popular.

From Quartz

All they want to do is play guitar, pass a history test, write a song, win a board game, make sure everyone is okay, and still be friends at the end of their lives.

From Vox

So here I am in my requisite Lululemon pants, grunting along to an old hip-hop song at a most ungodly hour.

From The Daily Beast

I still do find it a tremendously useful device to invent a character and have the character sing the song.

From The Daily Beast

In 2012, as a 10th grader, Lean says he recorded his first legitimate song, “Hurt.”

From The Daily Beast

So we picked out the song (“Rhiannon,” click here for video), and Deer Tick learned it.

From The Daily Beast

So this is Christmas, as the song goes, and what have we done?

From The Daily Beast

At this moment the tinkling of a mule's bells, mingled with the song of the muleteer, came on the air.

From Project Gutenberg

Gushing waters thrilled the ears with the sweetness of an old familiar song.

From Project Gutenberg

The song stopped abruptly, the music died away, there was an interval of silence no one broke.

From Project Gutenberg

"He 's getting well," thought Black Sheep, who knew the song through all its seventeen verses.

From Project Gutenberg

As Edna waited for her husband she sang low a little song that Robert had sung as they crossed the bay.

From Project Gutenberg