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

“I loved his voice and I loved the songs and I loved that he used to fly around the room like a crazy person,” Smith says.

From Los Angeles Times

Though there are flourishes of new material, disciples of composer Stephen Schwartz’s songs can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the changes are minor but welcome.

From Salon

"The next day we were told by our friends in Spain that this was actually a very racist song. We found it incredibly offensive."

From BBC

You come for the songs only to find allusions to fascism and genocide.

From Los Angeles Times

“I feel this is not only one of the best songs, if not the best song, I’ve written for a movie; it’s one of the best songs I’ve ever written in my life,” Warren says.

From Los Angeles Times