song
a piece of music with words that you sing
folk songs
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
song
song S1 W2 /sɒŋ $ sɒːŋ/ noun
[Language: Old English; Origin: sang]
1. MUSIC WITH WORDS
a) [countable] a short piece of music with words that you sing:
• We used to listen to pop songs on the radio.
• They sat round with guitars, singing songs.
b) [uncountable] songs in general:
• The bravery of past warriors was celebrated in song.
2. BIRDS [uncountable and countable] the musical sounds made by birds and some other animals such as whales:
• the song of the lark
3. for a song very cheaply:
• He bought the house for a song five years ago.
4. a song and dance (about something) informal
a) British English if you make a song and dance about something, you behave as if it was worse, more important, more difficult etc than it really is:
• Suzy was there, making a song and dance about her aching feet.
b) American English an explanation or excuse that is too long and complicated:
• She gave us a long song and dance about why she was late. ⇨ swansong
• • •
COLLOCATIONS■ verbs
▪ sing a song • He started singing a little song.
▪ play a song (=with singing and musical instruments) • The band played a lot of their old songs.
▪ perform a song (=in public) • He doesn’t like performing his songs live.
▪ write/compose a song • Do they write their own songs?
▪ record a song (=onto a CD so that it can be sold) • The song was first recorded in 1982.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + song
▪ good/great • That’s a great song!
▪ new • Are any of the songs on the album new?
▪ old • People always want to hear their old songs.
▪ a pop/folk song • I love all those '60s pop songs.
▪ a popular song (=used mainly of songs written before the 1960s) • a popular song from the 1930s
▪ a love song • He is releasing an album of love songs for Valentine’s Day.
▪ a protest song • They were singing old protest songs from the 1960s.
▪ a Beatles/REM etc song • Can you play any Beatles songs?
■ phrases
▪ burst/break into song (=start singing) • The crowd spontaneously burst into song.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ song a short piece of music with words that you sing: • We sang songs around the campfire. | • The song was written by John Lennon.
▪ track one of the songs on a CD or record: • Track three is my favourite one.
▪ number a song that forms part of a performance of several songs: • The show was brilliant, from the opening number to the end.
▪ tune the notes in a song, without the words: • I recognize the tune, but I can’t remember what it’s called.
▪ melody the main series of notes in a piece of music that has several parts which are played together: • The song has a simple melody and beautiful lyrics.
▪ verse a set of sentences that make up one part of a song: • She sang the first verse of ‘Amazing Grace’.
▪ chorus a set of sentences in a song that is repeated after each verse: • Most of the kids were able to join in the chorus.
■ types of song
▪ national anthem the official song of a country, which is sung or played on public occasions: • Before the match, everyone stood up to sing the national anthem.
▪ hymn /hɪm/ a religious song that is sung in a church: • What hymns did you choose for your wedding? | • At funerals people often sing the hymn ‘Abide with Me’.
▪ carol a traditional Christmas song: • We went around the houses, singing carols.
▪ folk song a traditional song from a particular area: • an old Mexican folk song
▪ ballad a long folk song which tells a story: • a traditional ballad about a man who is dreaming of his home in Ireland
▪ lullaby a slow quiet song sung to children to make them go to sleep: • She sat by the child’s bed, softly singing a lullaby.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
song
song[songsongs] [sɒŋ] [sɔːŋ]noun
1. countable a short piece of music with words that you sing
• a folk/love/pop, etc. song
• We sang a song together.
• She taught us the words of a French song.
see also swansong
2. uncountable songs in general; music for singing
• The story is told through song and dance.
• Suddenly he burst into song (= started to sing).
• Their voices were raised in song.
see also plainsong
3. uncountable, countable the musical sounds that birds make
• the song of the blackbird
more at sing from the same hymn/song sheet at sing v.
Idioms: for a song ▪ on song ▪ song and dance
Word Origin:
Old English sang, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zang and German Sang, also to sing.
Thesaurus:
song noun C
• She sang her favourite song.
track • • tune • • melody • • theme • • number •
a song/track/tune/melody/theme/number by sb
sing a song/tune/number
play a song/track/tune/melody/theme/number
record a song/track/theme
Collocations:
Music
Listening
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 video
Playing
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/guitar
Performing
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 (BrE) at/in a concert/(especially NAmE) a concert
appear at a festival/live
go on/embark on a (world) tour
Recording
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
Example Bank:
• A rap song came on the radio.
• After a few drinks, they were all singing bawdy songs at the top of their voices.
• He had a string of hit songs in the 1970s.
• He heard voices raised in song.
• He released an album of cover songs.
• He strummed a couple of chords on the guitar and they all burst into song.
• How does the song go?
• I downloaded a song from the Internet.
• Important historical events were commemorated in song.
• People can become vulnerable to the siren song of extremism.
• She closed the concert by singing her signature song.
• Sing us a song, Susanna!
• The band were still playing slow songs.
• The old songs sound like Gregorian chants.
• They continue to sing the same old song they have been singing for years.
• They performed another two songs as encores.
• a Hungarian folk song
• a protest song written in the sixties
• a song about love
• a song called ‘Mona Lisa’
• an Irish folk song
• emotional ballads and heartfelt torch songs
• the theme song from ‘The Godfather’
• the title song from the Beatles' album ‘Help!’
• Suddenly he burst into song.
• a love/pop/popular song
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
song
song /sɒŋ/ US /sɑːŋ/
noun
1 [C] a usually short piece of music with words which are sung:
to sing a song
a love/folk/pop song
See also swansong.
2 [U] the act of singing, or singing when considered generally:
He was so happy he wanted to burst/break into song (= start singing).
3 [C or U] the musical sound that a bird makes:
bird song
A thrush's song was the only sound to break the silence.
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
song
[sɒ̱ŋ, AM sɔ͟ːŋ]
songs
1) N-COUNT A song is words and music sung together.
...a voice singing a Spanish song.
...a love song.
2) N-UNCOUNT Song is the art of singing.
...dance, music, mime and song.
...the history of American popular song.
3) N-COUNT A bird's song is the pleasant, musical sounds that it makes.
It's been a long time since I heard a blackbird's song in the evening.
4) → See also birdsong, song and dance, songbird, swan song
5) PHRASE: V inflects If someone bursts into song or breaks into song, they start singing.
I feel as if I should break into song.
6) PHRASE: after v If you buy something for a song, you buy it for much less than its real value. [INFORMAL]
We found two second-hand chairs that were going for a song.
7) PHRASE: usu v-link PHR Journalists sometimes describe sports players as being on song when they are playing really well. [BRIT]
Ward is not the most consistent of players, but when he is on song he looks a world-beater.
Syn:
on form