Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Verse characterized by mechanical regularity of rhythm and rhyme.
  • noun A tediously repetitive rising and falling inflection of the voice.
  • adjective Tediously repetitive in vocal inflection or rhythm.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make songs or verses; also, to make singsong sounds; utter a monotonous chant.
  • To express or utter in singsong.
  • Making songs, rimes, or inferior poetry.
  • Monotonously rhythmical in cadence and time; chanting.
  • noun Verse intended or suitable for singing; a ballad; hence, bad verse; mere rime rather than poetry.
  • noun A monotonous rhythmical cadence, sound, or tone; a wearying uniformity in the rising and falling inflections of the voice, especially in speaking.
  • noun A convivial meeting, at which every person is expected to contribute a song.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Bad singing or poetry.
  • noun A drawling or monotonous tone, as of a badly executed song.
  • adjective Drawling; monotonous; having a monotonous cadence.
  • intransitive verb rare To write poor poetry.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Like a piece of singsong; simple and melodic, varying in pitch (of tone of voice etc.)
  • noun A piece of verse with a simple, song-like rhythm.
  • noun An informal gathering at which songs are sung; a singing session.
  • verb To utter in a singsong voice.
  • verb obsolete To write poor poetry.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a regular and monotonous rising and falling intonation
  • noun informal group singing of popular songs
  • verb move as if accompanied by a singsong
  • adjective uttered in a monotonous cadence or rhythm as in chanting
  • verb speak, chant, or declaim in a singsong

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

sing + song.

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Examples

  • I also fluff thier pillow and read them their favorite jihad passages from the Koran, in singsong fashion.

    Think Progress » ThinkFast: April 28, 2006 2006

  • And for all her grandmotherly warmth, Pelosi's peppy bursts of enthusiasm and penchant for speaking in singsong phrases — "We've gotta win, not whine!" — make her come across like a cheerfully energetic PTA mom rather than a party leader capable of swaying national opinion.

    The Odd Couple 2005

  • And for all her grandmotherly warmth, Pelosi's peppy bursts of enthusiasm and penchant for speaking in singsong phrases — "We've gotta win, not whine!" — make her come across like a cheerfully energetic PTA mom rather than a party leader capable of swaying national opinion.

    The Odd Couple 2005

  • As Stephanopoulos himself cozily recalls, his War Room buddy James Carville screamed in singsong when they scored a press hit on a political opponent (in language that would be unimaginable in Myers’s PG-rated book): “He’s going to have a clus-ter-fuck; he’s going to have a clus-ter-fuck.”

    Should Women Rule? 2008

  • As Stephanopoulos himself cozily recalls, his War Room buddy James Carville screamed in singsong when they scored a press hit on a political opponent (in language that would be unimaginable in Myers’s PG-rated book): “He’s going to have a clus-ter-fuck; he’s going to have a clus-ter-fuck.”

    Should Women Rule? 2008

  • As Stephanopoulos himself cozily recalls, his War Room buddy James Carville screamed in singsong when they scored a press hit on a political opponent (in language that would be unimaginable in Myers’s PG-rated book): “He’s going to have a clus-ter-fuck; he’s going to have a clus-ter-fuck.”

    Should Women Rule? 2008

  • Have dinner with Husband’s high school friend; afterwards, tease Husband unmercifully, repeating “you liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike her” in singsong tones until he stops speaking to me.

    Nature abhors a vacation. « A Bird’s Nest 2006

  • Have dinner with Husband’s high school friend; afterwards, tease Husband unmercifully, repeating “you liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike her” in singsong tones until he stops speaking to me.

    2006 November « A Bird’s Nest 2006

  • A woman's powerful voice called a singsong phrase, and the children replied in a penetrating chorus, punctuating each phrase with unison claps.

    Spirit Gate 2006

  • There was some kind of singsong festival going on there, most likely prayers for rain.

    Spirit Gate 2006

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