κελαηδώ
Greek
Alternative forms
Etymology
From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Ancient Greek κελαδῶ (keladô).
Pronunciation
Verb
κελαηδώ • (kelaïdó) (past κελάηδησα)
- (intransitive, of birds) sing, chirp. cheep, chirrup, tweet
- Για μας κελαηδούν τα πουλιά ― Gia mas kelaïdoún ta pouliá ― The birds sing for us (1939 song by Michalis Souyioul)
- Με τρελαίνουν αυτά τα αηδόνια που κελαηδούν συνεχώς. ― Me trelaínoun aftá ta aïdónia pou kelaïdoún synechós. ― These nightingales that are constantly chirping are driving me insane.
- (intransitive, figuratively, of a person) babble, prattle (talk at length happily)
- Τι την ακούς, αυτή την χαζή γυναίκα, που όλο κελαηδάει; ― Ti tin akoús, aftí tin chazí gynaíka, pou ólo kelaïdáei; ― What are you listening to this stupid woman for, who's constantly babbling on?
- (intransitive, figuratively) sing like a bird, sing like a canary (reveal secrets under pressure)
- Τώρα που τον πιάσανε, το πουλάκι θα κελαηδήσει. ― Tóra pou ton piásane, to pouláki tha kelaïdísei. ― Now that they've got him, he'll sing like a canary.
Usage notes
This is the most common spelling. Babiniotis, in his dictionary, uses the spelling κελαϊδώ and explains the (by far) more common spelling given here as influenced by the word αηδόνι (aïdóni, “nightingale”).
Conjugation
Synonyms
Related terms
- κελάηδημα n (keláidima, “birdsong”)
- κελαηδότσιχλα f (kelaïdótsichla, “song thrush”)
- τσίου-τσίου n (tsíou-tsíou, “cheep”)