Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Descant?

\Des"cant\ (d[e^]s"k[a^]nt), n. [OF. descant, deschant, F. d['e]chant, discant, LL. discantus, fr. L. dis + cantus singing, melody, fr. canere to sing. See {Chant}, and cf. {Descant}, v. i., {Discant}.] 1. (Mus.) (a) Originally, a double song; a melody or counterpoint sung above the plain song of the tenor; a variation of an air; a variation by ornament of the main subject or plain song. (b) The upper voice in part music. (c) The canto, cantus, or soprano voice; the treble. --Grove. Twenty doctors expound one text twenty ways, as children make descant upon plain song. --Tyndale. She [the nightingale] all night long her amorous descant sung. --Milton. Note: The term has also been used synonymously with counterpoint, or polyphony, which developed out of the French d['e]chant, of the 12th century. 2. A discourse formed on its theme, like variations on a musical air; a comment or comments. Upon that simplest of themes how magnificent a descant! --De Quincey.
\Des*cant"\ (d[e^]s*k[a^]nt"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Descanted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Descanting}.] [From descant; n.; or directly fr. OF. descanter, deschanter; L. dis- + cantare to sing.] 1. To sing a variation or accomplishment. 2. To comment freely; to discourse with fullness and particularity; to discourse at large. A virtuous man should be pleased to find people descanting on his actions. --Addison.