Lexic.us

Definition of Overture

1. Noun. Orchestral music played at the beginning of an opera or oratorio.

2. Noun. Something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows. "Drinks were the overture to dinner"

3. Noun. A tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others. "She rejected his advances"

Definition of Overture

1. v. t. To make an overture to; as, to overture a religious body on some subject.

Definition of Overture

1. Noun. (obsolete) An opening. (defdate 15th-19th c.) ¹

2. Noun. (context: often in plural) An approach or proposal made to initiate communication, establish a relationship etc. (defdate from 15th c.) ¹

3. Noun. (Scotland) A motion placed before a legislative body, such as the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. (defdate from 16th c.) ¹

4. Noun. (music) a musical introduction to a piece of music which may or may not be an integral part of that piece of music. (defdate from 17th c.) ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Overture

1. to propose [v -TURED, -TURING, -TURES] - See also: propose

Lexicographical Neighbors of Overture

overtrips overtrod overtrodden overtroubled overtrousers overtrump overtrumped overtrumping overtrumps overtrust

overtrusted overtrusting overtrusts overtry overtrying overture (current term) overtured overtures overturing overturn

overturnable overturned overturner overturners overturning overturning moment overturns overtwist overtwisted overtwisting

Literary usage of Overture

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and (1911)
"This French overture consists of a slow introduction in a marked " dotted rhythm " (ie exaggerated iambic, if the first chord is disregarded), followed by a ..."

2. The Larger Forms of Musical Composition: An Exhaustive Explanation of the by Percy Goetschius (1915)
"As the name indicates, the overture (always orchestral) is an opening number ... The overture to an Oratorio is most commonly an orchestral fugue, ..."

3. The Larger Forms of Musical Composition by Percy Goetschius (1915)
"As the name indicates, the overture (always orchestral) is an opening number ... The overture admits of a five-fold classification, as follows: 1. ..."

4. Dwight's Journal of Music: A Paper of Art and Literature by John Sullivan Dwight (1877)
"Galop, Champagne Lumbye Thursday Evening, September 3. overture. ... overture : St. John the Baptist Macfarren Symphonic Poem, Macbeth Op. 64 Pierson Of the ..."

5. A Dictionary of Music and Musicians (A.D. 1450-1880) by John Alexander Fuller-Maitland, George Grove (1880)
"Reference has hitherto been made to the overture only as the introduction to an ... Among special examples of the overture —properly so called—composed for ..."

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