syllable

noun

1. A unit of human speech which often forms words corresponding to one opening of the mouth; a vowel and its surrounding consonants.

   “I wanted to look up velleity and quotidian and memorize the fuckers for all time, spell them, learn them, pronounce them syllable by syllable—vocalize, phonate, utter the sounds, say the words for all they're worth.”

2. The written representation of a given pronounced syllable.
3. A small part of a sentence or discourse; anything concise or short; a particle.

   “Then let them caſt backe their eyes vnto former generations of men, and marke what was done in the prime of the world. Seth, Enoch, Noah, Sem, Abraham, Iob, and the reſt that liued before any ſyllable of the law of God was written, did they not ſinne as much as wee doe in euery action not commanded?”

   “Th'Archbyſhop Is the Kings hand, and tongue, and who dare ſpeak One ſyllable againſt him?”

   “In none of my travels did I ever meet him or learn a syllable of his whereabouts.”

verb

1. (poetic, transitive)To utter in syllables.

   “[A] thouſand fantaſies Begin to throng into my memorie Of calling ſhapes, and beckning ſhadows dire, And ayrie tongues, that ſyllable mens names On Sands, and Shoars, and deſert Wilderneſſes.”