vocal cord
- noun
- /ˈvoʊkəl kɔrd/
- Specialized
- Once she had refreshed her tired vocal cords, she fixed me with an inquisitive yet friendly stare.
- vocal cord vibration
- vocal cord paralysis
And then that will tighten the vocal cords and dry them out.
- And then that will tighten the vocal cords and dry them out.
- But you come out and your vocal cords are just like fatigued.
- That's all it is, breath moving across your vocal cords.
- Talk as the air is being pushed from down here through your vocal cords to make the sound come out of your mouth.
- And if I did wanna sing, do you have to warm up your vocal cords?
- Singing, gurgling, humming, chanting because it stimulates your vocal cords.
- And ironically, I read your book while recovering from vocal cord surgery and I couldn't speak for three months.
- Then on that, you quickly mentioned this in terms of US using our vocal cords to speak on a podcast.
- The animal that has the strongest vocal cords has the most vibrations that create the most complex melodies.
- Well, his friend has an injury to his throat, larynx and vocal cords, an injury caused by a scarlet mist.
- Got fucking diagnosed with cancer of the vocal cords like five years ago.
- They're constricting cause tighter vocal cords would make high yourself.
Examples
-
The volume of air, along with the state and vibration of the vocal cords, determines the qualities of sounds produced.
Academic text (2007) -
The doctor explained that the inflammation in her vocal cords was causing her hoarseness.
-
Talk as the air is being pushed from down here through your vocal cords to make the sound come out of your mouth.
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By the third week there, my vocal cords literally dried up.
Academic text (2009) -
Avoid coffee or foods that irritate or dry the vocal cords.
Academic text (2011) -
The larynx is here at the top of the windpipe and is the housing for the vocal cords.
-
Once again in control of her vocal cords, Hallie answered breathlessly, "Thanks, Bill."
Fiction book (1995) -
Before singing, it is important to warm up your vocal cords to prevent strain.
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To improve his singing, he took lessons to learn how to properly use his vocal cords.
Synonyms
A thin piece of tissue in the throat that vibrates to make sound
A thin piece of tissue in the throat that vibrates to make the voice
A fold of soft tissue in the voice box that makes sound when air passes through
Thin folds of tissue in the throat that make sound when you speak
Thin bands of tissue in the voice box that vibrate to make voice when air passes between them
A lower fold of tissue in the throat that makes sound when air passes between the two
Lower band of tissue in the throat that makes sound when air passes between the two bands
Surface Forms
Morphology
vocal + cord
The meaning is directly derivable from 'vocal' (relating to the voice) + 'cord' (a string- or rope-like structure): a cord associated with the voice, i.e. the anatomical folds that vibrate to produce sound. This compositional reading is common cross-linguistically (e.g. Spanish 'cuerdas vocales', French 'cordes vocales'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Vocal cord is a name that paints a picture: vocal means 'voice' and cord means a string, so imagine two small strings in your throat that shake to make your voice. That's why the term refers to the thin folds that make sound when you speak or sing.