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sing

v. · n.
US //ˈsɪŋ// UK //sˈɪŋ// sing
Irregular verb past sang past participle sung
  1. 1 to make music with the voice (v.)
    A1 Beginner Music

    to make musical sounds with your voice, usually with words.

    to produce musical or harmonious sounds with the voice, either with or without lyrics.

    Example

    The children started to sing a happy song together in the classroom.

    Example

    The soprano sang the difficult aria with such technical precision that the audience remained silent for several seconds after she finished.

    Usage

    The verb is irregular: sing, sang, sung.
    Pitfall
    She singed a beautiful song.
    She sang a beautiful song.

    The past tense of 'sing' is 'sang', and the past participle is 'sung'. 'Singed' is the past tense of 'singe', which means to burn slightly.

  2. 2 birds making sounds (v.)
    A2 Elementary Science

    the way birds make musical sounds to communicate.

    of birds: to produce characteristic melodic calls or vocalisations.

    Example

    I woke up early because the birds were singing outside my window.

    Example

    Ornithologists noted that the males began to sing more frequently as the breeding season approached to establish their territory.

    Usage

    Often used intransitively when describing the general activity of birds.
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  1. 3 to confess to police (v.)
    C1 Advanced Slang Informal Law

    to tell the police or authorities secrets about a crime.

    to confess or act as an informer, especially under interrogation or in exchange for a lighter sentence.

    Example

    The thief decided to sing to the police to avoid going to prison.

    Example

    The detective was confident that the younger suspect would sing once he realised his partners had already fled the country.

    Usage

    Usually intransitive in this sense.

    Teacher's tip

    This is very common in crime films and detective novels; it implies betraying one's accomplices.
    • keep quiet
  2. 4 to celebrate in poetry (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Literary

    to describe or praise someone in a poem or a story.

    to relate in verse or celebrate in poetry; often used to describe epic storytelling.

    Example

    The ancient poets used to sing of great heroes and their battles.

    Example

    The bard began to sing of the fallen king's bravery, ensuring his legacy would endure through the generations.

    Usage

    Often follows the pattern 'sing of [something]'.

    Teacher's tip

    Common in classical literature, such as the opening of the Iliad or Aeneid.
  3. 5 an act of singing (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal Music

    a time when people get together to sing songs.

    the act or an instance of singing, often in a communal or informal setting.

    Example

    We all had a loud sing around the campfire last night.

    Example

    The community centre hosts a weekly sing for local residents to help combat loneliness through music.

    Usage

    Often used in the phrase 'have a sing'.

    Teacher's tip

    In British English, 'a good sing' is a common way to describe an enjoyable session of singing.
Origin

From Middle English singen, from Old English singan (“to sing”), from Proto-West Germanic singwan, from Proto-Germanic singwaną (“to sing”), from Proto-Indo-European *sengʷʰ- (“to recite, sing”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian sjunge (“to sing”), West Frisian sjonge (“to sing”), Dutch zingen (“to sing”), German Low German singen (“to sing”), German singen (“to sing”), Danish synge (“to sing”), Swedish sjunga (“to sing”), Icelandic syngja (“to sing”), Ancient Greek ὀμφή (omphḗ, “voice, oracle”).

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