noun / verb
lilt
LILT/lɪlt/
A light, pleasant rhythm in sound or movement.
The dancer's steps have a light, buoyant lilt.
Etymology
The verb probably comes from lulten, “to sound an alarm.” Its meaning moved from lifting the voice to light singing; the noun then shifted from a lilting song to a lively cadence.
In context
but he ambled along, whistling a merry lilt and as lighthearted as his master.
More examples
- The melody lilted above the accompaniment.
- He walked with a cheerful lilt in his step.
- The poem had the lilt of a familiar song.
Forms
lilt · lilts · lilted · lilting