sing small
verb/sɪŋ ˈsmɔːl/UK/sɪŋ ˈsmɔl/US
Etymology
From sing + small (“in a small fashion; (obsolete) in a low tone, softly”).
Definitions
To assume a humble tone.
- By all that's good, I muſt myſelf ſing ſmall in her company!—I vvill never meet at hard-edge vvith her— […]
- Then shoots through my enjoyment / The one sharp drop of gall: / The host—the cur, the heathen— / On 'Baccy singeth small.
To not say anything
To not say anything; to keep quiet.
- Deutschland sleeps: her star has waned. / France, the Thundress whilome, now / Singeth small, with bated breath.
To play a minor part.
›+ 1 more definitionshow fewer
To sing softly.
- [A]re not moſt of our kings being vvhen they ſing ſmall and fine, after a puling maner, ſaluted Apolloes for their muſicke: […]
- I marvell'd ſhe ſung ſo ſmall indeed, being no Maid.
The neighborhood
Vish — recursive loop
No curated loop yet for sing small. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.
sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA