/sil"euh beuhl/ , n. , v. , syllabled, syllabling .
n.
1. an uninterrupted segment of speech consisting of a center of relatively great sonority with or without one or more accompanying sounds of relatively less sonority: "Man," "eye," "strength," and "sixths" are English words of one syllable.
2. one or more written letters or characters representing more or less exactly such an element of speech.
3. the slightest portion or amount of speech or writing; the least mention: Do not breathe a syllable of all this.
v.t.
4. to utter in syllables; articulate.
5. to represent by syllables.
v.i.
6. to utter syllables; speak.
[ 1350-1400; ME sillable sillabe syllaba syllabé, equiv. to syl- SYL- + lab- (base of lambánein to take) + -e n. suffix ]