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Ditty vs Descant - What's the difference?

ditty | descant | Related terms |

Ditty is a related term of descant.


As nouns the difference between ditty and descant

is that ditty is a short verse or tune while descant is a lengthy discourse on a subject.

As verbs the difference between ditty and descant

is that ditty is to sing; to warble a little tune while descant is to discuss at length.

ditty

English

Noun

(ditties)
  • A short verse or tune.
    • The Acme mattress ditty has been stuck in my head all day.
  • * Milton
    • Religious, martial, or civil ditties.
  • * Sandys
    • And to the warbling lute soft ditties sing.
  • A saying or utterance, especially one that is short and frequently repeated.
  • * Spenser
    • O, too high ditty for my simple rhyme.

    Verb

  • To sing; to warble a little tune.
  • * Herbert
    • Beasts fain would sing; birds ditty to their notes.

    See also

    * ditty bag * doggerel * jingle

    descant

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A lengthy discourse on a subject
  • * De Quincey
    • Upon that simplest of themes how magnificent a descant !
  • (music) a counterpoint melody sung or played above the theme

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To discuss at length.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1913, author=
    • , title=Lord Stranleigh Abroad , chapter=4 citation , passage=“… This is a surprise attack, and I’d no wish that the garrison, forewarned, should escape. I am sure, Lord Stranleigh, that he has been descanting on the distraction of the woods and the camp, or perhaps the metropolitan dissipation of Philadelphia, …”}}
  • To sing or play a descant.

    • Quotations

    * 1919, , Duckworth, hardback edition, page 121 *: Involving some interesting, intellectual trips, she was descanting lightly to right and left.

    Anagrams

    *