lilt

present singular third person lilts · participle present lilting · participle past lilted · past lilted

1. intransitiveTo do something rhythmically, with animation and quickness, usually of music.

   Whether the bird flit here or there, O'er table lilt , or perch on chair

   a. 1851, William Wordsworth, “The Redbreast”, in Henry [Hope] Reed, editor, The Complete Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, Philadelphia, Pa.: Hayes & Zell, […], published 1860, →OCLC

2. intransitiveTo sing cheerfully, especially in Gaelic.
3. intransitiveTo utter with spirit, animation, or gaiety; to sing with spirit and liveliness.

   A classic lecture, rich in sentiment, / With scraps of thunderous epic lilted out / By violet-hooded doctors.

   1847, Alfred Tennyson, “(please specify the page number, or |part=Prologue, I to VII, or conclusion)”, in The Princess: A Medley, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC

plural lilts

1. An animated, brisk motion; a spirited rhythm; sprightliness.
2. A lively song or dance; a cheerful tune.

   He was going away quite in despair, when a little old man, who was looking on with marks of displeasure in his face, came up to him, and telling him he was his friend, and his father's friend, bade him go into the ring and call for a lilt.

   1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 368

3. A cheerful or melodious accent or style in speaking.

   The two works have the attractive lilt of Middle English, with all the remedies for bites of serpents and cures for eye troubles of the day.

   1978, Keith Vincent Smith, The Illustrated Earth Garden Herbal, Melbourne: Thomas Nelson Australia, page 23, column 2

   1 more example

   Though Bane’s sing-song voice gives his pronouncements a funny lilt, he doesn’t have any of the Joker’s deranged wit, and Nolan isn’t interested in undercutting his seriousness for the sake of a breezier entertainment.

   July 18 2012, Scott Tobias, AV Club, The Dark Knight Rises (review)