overture
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Anglo-Norman, Middle French overture, from Old French overture. Doublet of aperture.
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 331: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈəʊvətjʊə/, /ˈəʊvətʃ(ʊ)ə/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 331: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈoʊvəɹtʃəɹ/
Noun
overture (plural overtures)
- (obsolete) An opening; a recess or chamber. [15th-19th c.]
- Chapman
- the cave's inmost overture
- Chapman
- (obsolete) Disclosure; discovery; revelation.
- Shakespeare
- It was he / That made the overture of thy treasons to us.
- Shakespeare
- (often in plural) An approach or proposal made to initiate communication, establish a relationship etc. [from 15th c.]
- 2012 April 23, Angelique Chrisafis, “François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election”, in the Guardian[1]:
- Sarkozy gave a defiant speech, going on the offensive and betraying no hint of having been beaten. He styled the result as a "crisis" vote, by a French population which was "suffering". In a clear overture to Le Pen's voters, and the extreme-right motto of loving France, he said: "I call on all French people who put love of their country above partisan considerations, to unite and join me."
- 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, Abacus 2010, p. 20:
- My mother had no choice; one did not turn down such an overture from the regent.
- (Scotland) A motion placed before a legislative body, such as the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. [from 16th c.]
- (music) A musical introduction to a piece of music. [from 17th c.]
Antonyms
- (opening of a piece of music): coda
Related terms
Translations
approach
|
musical introduction
|
Verb
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- (intransitive) To make overtures; to approach with a proposal.
- 2012, K.H. Rubin, H.S. Ross, Peer Relationships and Social Skills in Childhood (page 44)
- For a partner setting a table in a game of “house,” an overturing child might assume the role of the father returning home from work at dinnertime rather than overturing by throwing a ball toward the child and yelling “catch.”
- 2012, K.H. Rubin, H.S. Ross, Peer Relationships and Social Skills in Childhood (page 44)
Anagrams
Old French
Etymology
overt + -ure, from ovrir (“to open”), or from Vulgar Latin *opertūra, from Latin apertūra.
Noun
overture oblique singular, f (oblique plural overtures, nominative singular overture, nominative plural overtures)
Descendants
Categories:
- English terms borrowed from Anglo-Norman
- English terms derived from Anglo-Norman
- English terms borrowed from Middle French
- English terms derived from Middle French
- English terms derived from Old French
- English doublets
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English terms with quotations
- Scottish English
- en:Music
- English intransitive verbs
- Old French terms suffixed with -ure
- Old French terms inherited from Vulgar Latin
- Old French terms derived from Vulgar Latin
- Old French terms inherited from Latin
- Old French terms derived from Latin
- Old French lemmas
- Old French nouns
- Old French feminine nouns