PRELUDE

prelude

(noun) music that precedes a fugue or introduces an act in an opera

preliminary, overture, prelude

(noun) something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows; “training is a necessary preliminary to employment”; “drinks were the overture to dinner”

prelude

(verb) play as a prelude

prelude

(verb) serve as a prelude or opening to

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

prelude (plural preludes)

An introductory or preliminary performance or event.

Synonym: preface

(music) A short, free-form piece of music, originally one serving as an introduction to a longer and more complex piece; later, starting with the Romantic period, generally a stand-alone piece. [from 1650s]

Synonyms: intrada, overture

(computing) A standard module or library of subroutines and functions to be imported, generally by default, into a program.

(figurative) A forerunner to anything.

Synonyms

• forestory

Verb

prelude (third-person singular simple present preludes, present participle preluding, simple past and past participle preluded)

To introduce something, as a prelude.

To play an introduction or prelude; to give a prefatory performance.

Source: Wiktionary


Pre"lude, n. Etym: [F. prélude (cf. It. preludio, LL. praeludium), fr. L. prae before + ludus play. See Prelude, v. t.]

Definition: An introductory performance, preceding and preparing for the principal matter; a preliminary part, movement, strain, etc.; especially (Mus.), a strain introducing the theme or chief subject; a movement introductory to a fugue, yet independent; -- with recent composers often synonymous with overture. The last Georgic was a good prelude to the Ænis Addison. The cause is more than the prelude, the effect is more than the sequel, of the fact. Whewell.

Syn.

– Preface; introduction; preliminary; preamble; forerunner; harbinger; precursor.

Pre*lude", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Preluded; p. pr. & vb. n. Preluding.] Etym: [L. praeludere, praelusum; prae before + ludere to play: cf. F. préluder. See Ludicrous.]

Definition: To play an introduction or prelude; to give a prefatory performance; to serve as prelude. The musicians preluded on their instruments. Sir. W. Scott. We are preluding too largely, and must come at once to the point. Jeffrey.

Pre*lude", v. t.

1. To introduce with a previous performance; to play or perform a prelude to; as, to prelude a concert with a lively air.

2. To serve as prelude to; to precede as introductory. [Music] preluding some great tragedy. Longfellow

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

30 April 2024

NURSE

(verb) treat carefully; “He nursed his injured back by lying in bed several hours every afternoon”; “He nursed the flowers in his garden and fertilized them regularly”


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Coffee Trivia

According to Guinness World Records, the largest iced coffee is 14,228.1 liters and was created by Caffé Bene (South Korea), in Yangju, South Korea, on 17 July 2014. They poured iced black Americano on the giant cup that measured 3.3 meters tall and 2.62 meters wide.

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