watery warble

[jacdac]

More sirens were approaching, the distinctive watery warble of an ambulance among them. Ralph led Helen to the other women. Lois handed Natalie back to her, then turned in the direction of the amplified voice and cupped her hands around her mouth.
Source: Insomnia by Stephen King

watery means weak, right? Is it common to use watery with sound or is it King-ism?

Thank you.

 

[The Newt]

I don't think it means "weak" here. It sounds like the warbling of a voice of a person with water in the throat. It's loud but somewhat murky in tone.

 

[jacdac]

Thank you for the correction and clearly articulated distinction. It promoted me to look up warble, which turned out to be more versatile than I had envisioned before posting this thread. I had limited my association of the sound warble with the common ambulance burling sound.