I. ˈwȯr-bəl noun
Etymology: Middle English werble tune, from Old French (Picard dialect), from werbler to sing expressively, trill, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch wervelen to turn, Old High German wirbil whirlwind — more at whirl
Date: 14th century
1. : a melodious succession of low pleasing sounds
2. : a musical trill
3. : the action of warbling
II. verb
( war·bled ; war·bling -b(ə-)liŋ)
Date: 14th century
intransitive verb
1. : to sing in a trilling manner or with many turns and variations
2. : to become sounded with trills, quavers, and rapid modulations in pitch
3. : sing
transitive verb
: to render with turns, runs, or rapid modulations : trill
III. noun
Etymology: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to obsolete Swedish varbulde boil, from var pus + bulde swelling
Date: circa 1585
1. : a swelling under the skin especially of the back of cattle, horses, and wild mammals caused by infestation with maggots of a botfly or warble fly
2. : the maggot of a warble fly
• war·bled -bəld adjective