Definitions

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

  • noun A short, high-pitched sound, such as the one a small bird or insect makes.
  • intransitive verb To make a short, high-pitched sound.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make a short, sharp, cheery sound, as is done by small birds and various insects.
  • To utter inarticulate sounds expressive of satisfaction or pleasure.
  • To sound or utter in a chirping manner.
  • noun A short, sharp, cheerful note, as of certain birds and insects.
  • To cheer; enliven: known only in the present participle.

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

  • noun A short, sharp note, as of a bird or insect.
  • intransitive verb To make a shop, sharp, cheerful, as of small birds or crickets.

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

  • noun A short, sharp or high note or noise, as of a bird or insect.
  • verb intransitive to make a short, sharp, cheerful note, as of small birds or crickets
  • verb intransitive to speak in a high-pitched staccato

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

  • noun a sharp sound made by small birds or insects
  • verb sing in modulation
  • verb make high-pitched sounds

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English *chirpen, of imitative origin.]

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