INDEX:
1. to sing
2. to make a musical sound without words
3. someone who sings
4. relating to singing
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ DANCE
↑ MUSIC
↑ PERFORM/PERFORMANCE
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1. to sing
▷ sing /sɪŋ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to make musical sounds with your voice, especially the words of a song :
▪ Sophie sings in the church choir.
▪ I could hear someone singing downstairs.
sing a song/tune/hymn etc
▪ They sat together and sang songs.
▪ All the family sang ‘Happy Birthday’ as Dad came in.
sing somebody something
▪ Come on, David, sing us a song!
sing to
▪ She sat in a corner, singing softly to her baby.
sing along
sing with someone who is already singing
▪ Sing along if you know the words.
sing in tune/out of tune
sing the right or wrong notes
▪ Anyone who could play an instrument or sing in tune was enlisted to take part in the concert.
▷ singing /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/ [uncountable noun]
the activity of singing :
▪ I hear Frank’s taken up singing again.
▪ Everyone joined in with the singing.
▪ He asked her why she didn’t make use of her talent and give singing lessons.
singing career
▪ Danni decided to come to England to launch her singing career.
▷ belt out /ˌbelt ˈaʊt/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to sing a song loudly and powerfully :
belt out something
▪ The choir belted out songs from West End shows for over an hour.
belt it out
▪ This is a big theatre - you have to really belt it out.
▷ burst into song /ˌbɜːʳst ɪntə ˈsɒŋǁ-ˈsɔːŋ/ [verb phrase]
to suddenly start singing :
▪ He felt so happy he wanted to burst into song.
▪ The orchestra played a few notes and the choir burst into song.
▷ croon /kruːn/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to sing in a very soft, musical way :
▪ A woman gently crooned the tune of a lullaby.
▪ She wandered around the tables, while crooning ‘Embraceable You’.
▷ on vocals /ɒn ˈvəʊk ə lz/ [adverb]
if a member of a band is on vocals, they are singing the song’s words :
▪ The band was formed in 1999, with Stevie on vocals.
on backing vocals
singing the background tune, not the main one
▪ We went to see a band who had Julia Fordham on backing vocals.
2. to make a musical sound without words
▷ hum /hʌm/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to make musical sounds with your voice, but with your mouth closed :
▪ She hummed softly to herself as she worked.
▪ Musicals are uplifting, and you are sure to leave the theatre humming a cheerful tune.
▷ whistle /ˈwɪs ə l/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to make musical sounds by blowing air out between your lips :
▪ He stacked crates one on top of the other, whistling as he did so.
▪ You’ve been whistling that tune all day.
3. someone who sings
▷ singer /ˈsɪŋəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who sings, especially as their job :
▪ I wanted to have a career as a singer.
opera/jazz/blues/rock etc singer
▪ Jodie dreamed of being a rock singer.
a good/bad/terrible etc singer
▪ She’s very pretty, and a good singer too.
lead singer
the main singer in a band
▪ Mick Jagger, the lead singer with the Rolling Stones
backing singer
someone who sings the background tune, not the main tune
▪ In those days we had a band with a brass section and a couple of female backing singers.
▷ vocalist /ˈvəʊk ə lɪst, ˈvəʊk ə ləst/ [countable noun]
a singer in a group that plays popular music :
▪ The female vocalist came on in a long white gown.
▪ He’s a session musician, providing studio backing to well-known vocalists.
lead vocalist
main vocalist
▪ Tom, the lead vocalist, is also a talented guitarist.
▷ choir /kwaɪəʳ/ []
a large group of singers who regularly sing in a church or school or with a group of musicians :
▪ I have always sung in choirs.
▪ He’s a member of a Welsh Male Voice Choir.
▪ The school choir performed Vivaldi’s Gloria.
▪ Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin started singing in gospel choirs, not at music lessons.
▷ chorus /ˈkɔːrəs/ [countable noun]
a large group of people who sing together, for example people from a particular town or school :
▪ The chorus’s singing was excellent, and so was the orchestral playing.
4. relating to singing
▷ vocal /ˈvəʊk ə l/ [adjective]
relating to singing or someone’s singing voice :
▪ The band’s stunning vocal harmonies have earned them a big name in the States.
▪ the Beach Boys and other early '60s teen vocal groups
▷ choral /ˈkɔːrəl/ [adjective]
relating to music or singing done by a choir :
▪ traditional Welsh choral music
▪ The programme includes choral works, and music for string orchestra.