Lull and Lullaby Both Imitate a Soothing Sound
A lull is a temporary calm. The word comes from the noise made to quiet a child.
A lull is a temporary pause in noise, activity or storm. The word is imitative of the *lu lu* sound used to soothe a baby, and the same syllable gives *lullaby* — the second element is probably *bye*, as in bye-bye. Similar sounds appear in soothing words across many unrelated languages. *The lull before the storm* describes the genuine calm that often precedes a squall, when descending air briefly stills the surface wind.
- A temporary calm. *A lull in the fighting.*
- To soothe. *Lulled to sleep.*
- Lullaby. *A lullaby.*
- Lull before the storm. *The lull.*
- Imitative. *From the 1300s.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | lull | A lull. |
| Verb | lull | Lulling. |
| Past | lulled | Lulled. |
| Compound | lullaby | A lullaby. |
| Related | lollop | To lollop. |
- A lull in the conversation.Pause.
- The rocking lulled him to sleep.Soothing.
- Lullaby uses the same sound.Etymology.
Why storms have a lull
- Air rushes inward and upward ahead of a storm
- That can briefly still the surface wind
- Pressure drops and the air often feels heavy
- Birds fall quiet, which people notice
- The calm is real, not merely a figure of speech
Middle English, imitative of the sounds used to soothe a child, recorded from the 1300s.
Where does lullaby come from?
From the soothing lu lu sound, with a second element probably from bye, as in bye-bye.
Is the lull before the storm real?
Yes. Air rushing inward and upward ahead of a storm can briefly still the surface wind before the squall arrives.