stretto

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian stretto.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈstɹɛtəʊ/
• Rhymes: -ɛtəʊ

Noun

stretto (plural strettos or stretti)

1. (music) The presence of two close or overlapping statements of the subject of a fugue, especially towards the end.
2. (music) An acceleration in the tempo of an opera that produces an ending climax.

Adverb

stretto (not comparable)

1. (music) With gradually increasing speed.

Adjective

stretto (not comparable)

1. (music) Having gradually increasing speed.
   • 1960, Thomas Pynchon, Entropy:

     So that over and above the public components – holidays, tourist attractions – there are private meanderings, linked to the climate as if this spell were a stretto passage in the year’s fugue: haphazard weather, aimless loves, unpredicted commitments…

Anagrams

• rottest, stotter, tortest, totters

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Italian

Etymology

From Latin strictus, perfect passive participle of stringō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈstretːo/

Adjective

1. narrow

   Antonym: largo

2. tight
3. strict
4. (linguistics) close

Derived terms

• caffè stretto (“espresso with less water”)

Noun

stretto m (plural stretti)

1. strait

Verb

stretto m

1. past participle of stringere

Related terms

• stretta
• strettezza
• strettire
• strettoia
• strettoio
• strettura
• ristretto