Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Music?

\Mu"sic\, n. [F. musique, fr. L. musica, Gr. ? (sc. ?), any art over which the Muses presided, especially music, lyric poetry set and sung to music, fr. ? belonging to Muses or fine arts, fr. ? Muse.] 1. The science and the art of tones, or musical sounds, i. e., sounds of higher or lower pitch, begotten of uniform and synchronous vibrations, as of a string at various degrees of tension; the science of harmonical tones which treats of the principles of harmony, or the properties, dependences, and relations of tones to each other; the art of combining tones in a manner to please the ear. Note: Not all sounds are tones. Sounds may be unmusical and yet please the ear. Music deals with tones, and with no other sounds. See {Tone}. 2. (a) Melody; a rhythmical and otherwise agreeable succession of tones. (b) Harmony; an accordant combination of simultaneous tones. 3. The written and printed notation of a musical composition; the score. 4. Love of music; capacity of enjoying music. The man that hath no music in himself Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils. --Shak. 5. (Zo["o]l.) A more or less musical sound made by many of the lower animals. See {Stridulation}. {Magic music}, a game in which a person is guided in finding a hidden article, or in doing a specific art required, by music which is made more loud or rapid as he approaches success, and slower as he recedes. --Tennyson. {Music box}. See {Musical box}, under {Musical}. {Music hall}, a place for public musical entertainments. {Music loft}, a gallery for musicians, as in a dancing room or a church. {Music of the spheres}, the harmony supposed to be produced by the accordant movement of the celestial spheres. {Music paper}, paper ruled with the musical staff, for the use of composers and copyists. {Music pen}, a pen for ruling at one time the five lines of the musical staff. {Music shell} (Zo["o]l.), a handsomely colored marine gastropod shell ({Voluta musica}) found in the East Indies; -- so called because the color markings often resemble printed music. Sometimes applied to other shells similarly marked. {To face the music}, to meet any disagreeable necessity without flinching. [Colloq. or Slang]