Definitions Related words Phrases Mentions Lyrics History Easter eggs (New!)

Literary notes about ditty (AI summary)

The term “ditty” in literature often denotes a short, simple song or tune that can both set the mood and reveal character. It appears in a range of contexts—from the buoyant, carefree airs of a sailor’s “jaunty, rollicking sea ditty[1] to the playful encouragement to “Sing and dance it trippingly” in a Shakespearean scene [2]. At times, the ditty carries a more poignant or reflective tone, as when a character seeks solace in the closing lines of a song, hoping to find an end to his distress [3]. Whether used to evoke the rustic charm of maritime life or the bittersweet cadence of parting, the ditty has provided authors with a versatile literary device, capable of conveying both levity and pathos, as further illustrated in later works [4][5].
  1. Some of the sailors were singing a jaunty rollicking sea ditty.
    — from Dave Fearless and the Cave of Mystery; or, Adrift on the Pacific by Roy Rockwood
  2. And this ditty, after me, Sing and dance it trippingly.
    — from A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
  3. Let his distress In my ditty find its end.
    — from Collected Poems: Volume One by Alfred Noyes
  4. "THEY ROARED OUT A ROLLICKING DITTY" "WHILST THE FLAMES LICKED UPWARDS" "THEY WERE WHIPPED
    — from The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain
  5. I was surprised into crooning this ditty as I pushed her over the floor.
    — from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

More usage examples

Also see: Google, News, Images, Wikipedia, Reddit, BlueSky


Home   Reverse Dictionary / Thesaurus   Datamuse   Word games   Spruce   Feedback   Dark mode   Random word   Help


Color thesaurus

Use OneLook to find colors for words and words for colors

See an example

Literary notes

Use OneLook to learn how words are used by great writers

See an example

Word games

Try our innovative vocabulary games

Play Now

Read the latest OneLook newsletter issue: Threepeat Redux