war|ble

war|ble¹ «WR buhl», verb, -bled, -bling, noun.

–v.i.

1. to sing with trills, quavers, or melodious turns: »

Birds warbled in the trees.

2. to make a sound like that of a bird warbling: »

The brook warbled over its rocky bed.

SYNONYM(S): purl, ripple.

3. U.S. yodel.

–v.t.

1. to sing with melodious runs, trills, quavers, or turns.

2. to express in or as if in song; sing.

–n.

1. a melodious song with trills and quavers.

2. any sound like warbling.

3. the act of warbling.

╂[< Old North French werbler < werble a flourish, melody < Germanic (compare Old High German wirbel a whirl)]

war|ble² «WR buhl», noun.

1. a small, hard tumor, caused by the pressure of the saddle on a horse's back.

2. a small tumor or swelling on the back of cattle, deer, and some other animals, produced by the larva of the warble fly.

3. a warble fly, especially in its larval form. Also, wabble.

╂[origin uncertain. Compare obsolete Swedish varbulde boil.]