lull

[ luhl ]

verb (used with object)

1. to put to sleep or rest by soothing means:

   to lull a child by singing.

2. to soothe or quiet.
3. to give or lead to feel a false sense of safety; cause to be less alert, aware, or watchful.

verb (used without object)

1. to quiet down, let up, or subside:

   furious activity that finally lulled.

noun

1. a temporary calm, quiet, or stillness:

   a lull in a storm.

2. a soothing sound:

   the lull of falling waters.

3. a pacified or stupefied condition:

   The drug had put him in a lull.

lull

/ lʌl /

verb

1. to soothe (a person or animal) by soft sounds or motions (esp in the phrase lull to sleep )
2. to calm (someone or someone's fears, suspicions, etc), esp by deception

noun

1. a short period of calm or diminished activity

Derived Forms

• ˈlulling, adjective

Other Words From

• luller noun
• lulling·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of lull¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English lullen, of expressive origin; compare Swedish lulla, German lullen, Latin lallāre “to sing a lullaby”

Word History and Origins

Origin of lull¹

C14: possibly imitative of crooning sounds; related to Middle Low German lollen to soothe, Middle Dutch lollen to talk drowsily, mumble

Example Sentences

Our expert content team has a way of sprinkling soothing magic on all of our Sleep Stories through the narrator's cadence to the background music to get people to lull to sleep.

From Salon

During a career lull from the late 1970s into the early 1980s, Rachins left acting to focus on writing for TV shows such as “Knight Rider,” “Hill Street Blues” and “Hart to Hart.”

From Los Angeles Times

A month after Israel intensified its campaign against Hezbollah with thousands of airstrikes and a ground invasion in the south, the capital now exists in a twilight state, somewhere between war and lull.

From Los Angeles Times

The defense overcame the offensive lull as safety Alohi Gilman grabbed his first interception of the season and Still got his first professional interception early in the fourth quarter.

From Los Angeles Times

In fact, it is because I know how easily I could be lulled into another glazed-eyed week fretting over outstanding ballots in Philadelphia or Phoenix that I am staking out my position early, and publicly.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• breather
• calmness
• hiatus
• hush
• layoff
• letup
• respite
• time-out