shrike crow

Ornith.: Swains on's name for the genus Barita (q. v.). shrill, *schril, *shril, *shrille, *shirle, adj . & subst. [The same word as Lowland Scotch skirl =a shrill cry; skirl =to cry shrilly; from Norwegian skryla , skræla =to cry shrilly; skræl a shrill cry; cf. Sw. dial. skråla =to cry loudly; A. S. scralletan =to make a loud outery; Low Ger. schrell = shrill; Prov. Ger.schrill=shrill; schrillen =to sound shrill.] A. As adjective : 1. Sharp or acute in sound or tone; having a piercing sound or tone. "Unimpair'd, and shrill , and clear." Cowper: The Cricket. 2. Uttering or emitting a sharp, piercing sound; as, a shrill trumpet. *B. As subst.: A shrill sound. "With the sudden shrill I was appalled." Spenser: Ruines of Time, 580. IMG:content-1404.png:[blocks in formation] 2. Speaking in a high tone. "Is she shrill- tongued or low?" Shakesp.: Antony and Cleopatra , iii. 3. voice or sound. shrill-voiced, adj. Having a shrill or piercing "Confines the shrill - voiced whirlwind round and round." Words worth: Excursion, bk. iii. shrill, v. i. & t. [SHRILL, a.] A. Intransitive: 1. To utter a shrill, piercing sound. "At last they heard a horne that shrilled cleare." Spenser: F. Q., II. iii. 20. 2. To sound shrilly or piercingly. "First shrilled an unrepeated female shriek." Scott: Don Roderick, xix. B. Transitive : 1. To cause to give or utter a shrill sound. 2. To utter in a shrill tone. "Death shrilled , hard and quick, in spite and fear; Hal ha! and what mayst thou do at the domes?" R. Browning: Bal a ustion's Adventure. *shrill-ing, a. [Eng. shrill; -ing.] Sounding shrilly, shrill. "Nor eager steed, with shrilling neigh, Accused che lagging groom's delay.' Scott: Rokeby, ii. 17.