- 1 [intransitive, transitive] to make musical sounds with your voice in the form of a song or tune She usually sings in the shower. I just can't sing in tune! He was dancing around and singing at the top of his voice(= very loudly). sing to somebody He was singing softly to the baby. sing something to somebody Will you sing a song to us? We all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. sing somebody something Will you sing us a song? sing something Now I'd like to sing a song by the Beatles. sing somebody to sleep She sang the baby to sleep (= sang until the baby went to sleep). CollocationsMusicListening listen to/enjoy/love/be into music/classical music/jazz/pop/hip-hop, etc. listen to the radio/an MP3 player/a CD put on/play a CD/a song/some music turn down/up the music/radio/volume/bass go to a concert/festival/gig/performance/recital copy/burn/rip music/a CD/a DVD download music/an album/a song/a demo/a videoPlaying play a musical instrument/the piano/percussion/a note/a riff/the melody/a concerto/a duet/by ear sing an anthem/a ballad/a solo/an aria/the blues/in a choir/soprano/alto/tenor/bass/out of tune hum a tune/a theme tune/a lullaby accompany a singer/choir strum a chord/guitarPerforming form/start/get together/join/quit/leave a band give a performance/concert/recital do a concert/recital/gig play a concert/gig/festival/venue perform (British English) at/in a concert/(especially North American English) a concert appear at a festival/live go on/embark on a (world) tourRecording write/compose music/a ballad/a melody/a tune/a song/a theme song/an opera/a symphony land/get/sign a record deal be signed to/be dropped by a record company record/release/put out an album/a single/a CD be top of/top the charts get to/go straight to/go straight in at/enter the charts at number one More Like This Verbs with two objects bet, bring, build, buy, cost, get, give, leave, lend, make, offer, owe, pass, pay, play, post, promise, read, refuse, sell, send, show, sing, take, teach, tell, throw, wish, writeSee worksheet. Wordfindersingbeat, harmony, melody, music, note, rhythm, sing, tempo, tone, vocal Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbloud, loudly, lustily, … verb + singbe able to, can prepositionabout, to phrasesbe sung to the tune of something, sing at the top of your lungs, sing at the top of your voice, … See full entry
- 2 [intransitive] (of birds) to make high musical sounds The birds were singing outside my window. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbloud, loudly, lustily, … verb + singbe able to, can prepositionabout, to phrasesbe sung to the tune of something, sing at the top of your lungs, sing at the top of your voice, … See full entry
- 3[intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to make a high ringing sound like a whistle Bullets sang past my ears. She felt faint and the blood was singing in her head. The kettle was singing away on the stove. Word OriginOld English singan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zingen and German singen.Extra examples Have you ever heard the band sing live? He was singing quietly to himself. Her mother sang her to sleep. I can’t sing very well. Shall I sing to you? She could sing a bit and agreed to take part in the show. The birds sang louder than ever. The lyrics were sung to the tune of the Beatles’ ‘Eleanor Rigby’. Unfortunately, he was singing out of tune. We played and sang together. boy bands singing about love He was dancing around and singing at the top of his voice. I just can’t sing in tune! Now I’d like to sing a song by the Beatles. She sang the baby to sleep.Idioms
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BrE BrE//sɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//sɪŋ//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they sing BrE BrE//sɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//sɪŋ//
he / she / it sings BrE BrE//sɪŋz//; NAmE NAmE//sɪŋz//
past simple sang BrE BrE//sæŋ//; NAmE NAmE//sæŋ//
past participle sung BrE BrE//sʌŋ//; NAmE NAmE//sʌŋ//
-ing form singing BrE BrE//ˈsɪŋɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//ˈsɪŋɪŋ//
(saying) used for saying that a situation may still change, for example that a contest, election, etc. is not finished yet, and somebody still has a chance to win it
to change your opinion about somebody/something or your attitude towards somebody/something
(British English, informal) to show that you are in agreement with each other by saying the same things in public Phrasal Verbssing alongsing ofsing outsing up
Check pronunciation: sing
