lull

UK: lʌl | US: lʌl

Definition

  1. n. a temporary period of calm or quiet

  2. vt. to soothe or calm someone (often to sleep)

  3. vi. to become calm or quiet

Structure

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Etymology

"Lull" is an Old English word (lullan) of imitative origin, meaning to sing softly or soothe. It likely mimics the soothing sounds made to calm infants (e.g., "la-la" or humming). Over time, it evolved to describe both the act of calming and the quiet interval itself. Its simplicity and onomatopoeic nature classify it as non-splittable.

Examples

  1. The gentle waves created a lull in the storm.

  2. She lulled the baby to sleep with a soft lullaby.

  3. After the chaos, there was a brief lull in the conversation.

  4. The wind lulled, and the forest grew silent.

  5. Don’t be fooled by the lull—the storm will return soon.