Shrill (?), a. [Compar. Shriller (?); superl. Shrillest.] [OE. shril, schril; akin to LG. schrell, G. schrill. See Shrill,v. i.]

Acute; sharp; piercing; having or emitting a sharp, piercing tone or sound; -- said a sound, or of that which produces a sound.

Hear the shrill whistle which doth order give To sounds confused. Shak.

Let winds be shrill, let waves roll high. Byron.

 

© Webster 1913.


Shrill, n.

A shrill sound.

[Obs.]

Spenser.

 

© Webster 1913.


Shrill, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Shrilled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Shrilling.] [OE. schrillen, akin to G. schrillen; cf. AS. scralletan to resound loudly, Icel. skrolta to jolt, Sw. skralla to shrill, Norw. skryla, skrla. Cf. Skirl.]

To utter an acute, piercing sound; to sound with a sharp, shrill tone; to become shrill.

Break we our pipes, that shrilledloud as lark. Spenser.

No sounds were heard but of the shrilling cock. Goldsmith.

His voice shrilled with passion. L. Wallace.

 

© Webster 1913.


Shrill, v. t.

To utter or express in a shrill tone; to cause to make a shrill sound.

How poor Andromache shrills her dolors forth. Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.