ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˌlīz verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Usage: see -ize
Etymology: in sense 1, probably from French vocaliser, from vocal, adjective (from Latin vocalis ) + -iser -ize; in other senses, International Scientific Vocabulary vocal (I) + -ize
transitive verb
1. : to give voice to : execute vocally : utter ; specifically : sing
2.
a. : to make voiced rather than voiceless : voice
b. : to convert (as from a consonant) to a vowel
w … after consonants became vocalized to u — Joseph Wright
3. : to furnish (as a consonantal Hebrew or Arabic text) with vowels or vowel points or signs
the Akkadian texts … vocalize spl with a; sapl- — C.H.Gordon
if it is necessary to indicate in your shorthand notes that a longhand abbreviation is to be used, write a fully vocalized outline — Pitman Shorthand
intransitive verb
1. : to utter vocal sounds
the gorilla is just as likely to thump upon the upper chest … as he is to vocalize — Weston La Barre
2. : sing ; specifically : to sing without words (as in practicing vowel sounds)
with the spirituals she started singing words … instead of vocalizing — Virgil Thomson