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 Sung

2. Ailing Ai-ling Soong.

3. Qingling Ching-ling Soong.

4. Meiling Mei-ling Soong.

5. Ziwen Tse-ven Soong.

song

¹

/ 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. at a bargain price

6. informal,  performing at peak efficiency or ability

Song

²

/ sʊŋ /

noun

1. the Pinyin transliteration of the Chinese name for Sung

Other Word Forms

• songlike 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

• for a song
• swan song

Example Sentences

But that was the ninth take of the song, and it’s incredibly different from what was on the Colts Neck demo tape.

Read more on Salon

Its original songs frequently paid homage to music from the late 20th century or musicals from that era like “Les Misérables.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Inside, an entire wall was taken up by a mural that Orozco commissioned a friend to paint, while popular Spanish songs lilted gently from a large TV.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The south Londoner was allowed to keep the songs she had written, and ultimately found huge success as a solo artist after Escapism became a viral hit.

Read more on BBC

One man who has early-onset dementia explained he enjoyed asking Genie to play Glenn Miller songs.

Read more on BBC