CHORD

chord

(noun) a combination of three or more notes that blend harmoniously when sounded together

chord

(noun) a straight line connecting two points on a curve

harmonize, harmonise, chord

(verb) bring into consonance, harmony, or accord while making music or singing

chord

(verb) play chords on (a stringed instrument)

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

chord (plural chords)

(music) A harmonic set of three or more notes that is heard as if sounding simultaneously.

(geometry) A straight line between two points of a curve.

(engineering) A horizontal member of a truss.

(rail) A section of subsidiary railway track that interconnects two primary tracks that cross at different levels, to permit traffic to flow between them.

(aeronautics) The distance between the leading and trailing edge of a wing, measured in the direction of the normal airflow.

(nautical) An imaginary line from the luff of a sail to its leech.

(computing) A keyboard shortcut that involves two or more distinct keypresses, such as Ctrl+M followed by P.

The string of a musical instrument.

(anatomy) A cord.

(graph theory) An edge that is not part of a cycle but connects two vertices of the cycle.

Verb

chord (third-person singular simple present chords, present participle chording, simple past and past participle chorded)

(transitive) To write chords for.

(music) To accord; to harmonize together.

(transitive) To provide with musical chords or strings; to string; to tune.

Source: Wiktionary

Chord, n. Etym: [L chorda a gut, a string made of a gut, Gr. cord. See Cord.]

1. The string of a musical instrument. Milton.

2. (Mus.)

Definition: A combination of tones simultaneously performed, producing more or less perfect harmony, as, the common chord.

3. (Geom.)

Definition: A right line uniting the extremities of the arc of a circle or curve.

4. (Anat.)

Definition: A cord. See Cord, n., 4.

5. (Engin.)

Definition: The upper or lower part of a truss, usually horizontal, resisting compression or tension. Waddell. Accidental, Common, and Vocal chords. See under Accidental, Common, and Vocal.

– Chord of an arch. See Illust. of Arch.

– Chord of curvature, a chord drawn from any point of a curve, in the circle of curvature for that point.

– Scale of chords. See Scale.

Chord, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Chorded; p. pr. & vb. n. Chording.]

Definition: To provide with musical chords or strings; to string; to tune. When Jubal struck the chorded shell. Dryden. Even the solitary old pine tree chords his harp. Beecher.

Chord, v. i. (Mus.)

Definition: To accord; to harmonize together; as, this note chords with that.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition