overture

o·ver·ture

 (ō′vər-cho͝or′)

n.

1. Music

a. An instrumental composition intended especially as an introduction to an extended work, such as an opera or oratorio.

b. A similar orchestral work intended for independent concert performance.

2. An introductory section or part, as of a poem; a prelude.

3. An act, offer, or proposal that indicates readiness to undertake a course of action or open a relationship.

tr.v. o·ver·tured, o·ver·tur·ing, o·ver·tures

1. To present as an introduction or proposal.

2. To present or make an offer or proposal to.

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[Middle English, opening, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *ōpertūra, alteration (influenced by Latin cōperīre, to cover) of Latin apertūra, from apertus, past participle of aperīre, to open; see wer- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

overture

(ˈəʊvəˌtjʊə)

n

1. (Classical Music) music

a. a piece of orchestral music containing contrasting sections that is played at the beginning of an opera or oratorio, often containing the main musical themes of the work

b. a similar piece preceding the performance of a play

c. Also called: concert overture a one-movement orchestral piece, usually having a descriptive or evocative title

d. a short piece in three movements (French overture or Italian overture) common in the 17th and 18th centuries

2. (often plural) a proposal, act, or gesture initiating a relationship, negotiation, etc

3. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) something that introduces what follows

vb (tr)

4. to make or present an overture to

5. to introduce with an overture

[C14: via Old French, from Late Latin apertūra opening, from Latin aperīre to open; see overt]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

o•ver•ture

(ˈoʊ vər tʃər, -ˌtʃʊər)

n., v. -tured, -tur•ing. n.

1. an initiating move in negotiating an agreement or action; proposal; offer.

2.

a. an orchestral composition introducing a musical work, as an opera.

b. an independent piece of similar character.

3. an introductory part; prelude; prologue.

v.t.

4. to submit as an overture or proposal.

5. to make an overture or proposal to.

[1300–50; Middle English < Old French]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

overture

Past participle: overtured
Gerund: overturing

Imperative

overture

overture

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

overture

An orchestral introduction to an opera or ballet, sometimes to a symphony, or an independent and usually programmatic concert work.

Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	overture - orchestral music played at the beginning of an opera or oratorio music - an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
	2.	overture - something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows; "training is a necessary preliminary to employment"; "drinks were the overture to dinner" prelude, preliminary inception, origination, origin - an event that is a beginning; a first part or stage of subsequent events
	3.	overture - a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others; "she rejected his advances" feeler, advance, approach proffer, proposition, suggestion - a proposal offered for acceptance or rejection; "it was a suggestion we couldn't refuse"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

overture

noun

1. (Music) prelude, opening, introduction, introductory movement the William Tell Overture
prelude finale, coda

2. (usually plural) approach, offer, advance, proposal, appeal, invitation, tender, proposition, opening move, conciliatory move He had begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship.
approach withdrawal, rejection

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

overture

noun

1. A short section of preliminary remarks:

foreword, induction, introduction, lead-in, preamble, preface, prelude, prolegomenon, prologue.

2. A preliminary action intended to elicit a favorable response:

advance (used in plural), approach.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

مُقَدِّمَة أو إفْتِتاحِيَّةٌ موسيقِيَّه

ouverture

OuvertüreOvertüreAngebotAnnäherungsversuchOfferte

ouverture

nyitány

forleikur

ouverture

uvertiūra

uvertīra

forspillouverture

увертюраинициативапредложение

peşrevuvertür

前奏曲

overture

[ˈəʊvətjʊəʳ] N

1. (Mus) → obertura f

2. (fig) to make overtures to sb (Pol, Comm) → hacer una propuesta a algn; (sexual) → hacer insinuaciones a algn
they had made overtures to Pan Am, but without success → le hicieron una propuesta a Pan Am, pero no se llegó a nada
the government made peace overtures to the rebels → el gobierno les hizo una propuesta de paz a los rebeldes

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

overture

[ˈəʊvə^rtʃʊə^r] n

(= music) → ouverture f

(verbal) → ouverture f
peace overtures → des ouvertures de paix
overtures of friendship → des offres d'amitié
to make overtures to sb (= approaches) → faire des ouvertures à qn

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

overture

n

(Mus) → Ouvertüre f

usu pl (= approach) → Annäherungsversuch m; to make overtures to somebody → Annäherungsversuche bei jdm machen; peace overtures → Friedensannäherungen pl

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

overture

[ˈəʊvəˌtjʊəʳ] n

a. (Mus) → ouverture f inv

b. to make overtures to sb (fig) (friendly) → comportarsi amichevolmente verso qn; (romantic) → tentare un approccio con qn, fare delle avances a qn

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

overture

(ˈəuvətjuə) noun

a piece of music played as an introduction to an opera etc. voorspel, ouverture مُقَدِّمَة أو إفْتِتاحِيَّةٌ موسيقِيَّه овертюва abertura předehra die Overtüre ouverture εισαγωγήobertura avamäng پیش درآمد alkusoitto ouvertureפתיחה गाना प्रारम्भ करने का गीत, संबन्ध बढ़ाने का इशारा uvertira nyitány musik pembukaan forleikur ouverture 序曲 서곡 uvertiūra uvertīra overtur ouvertureouverture, forspill uwertura پيل abertura uvertură увертюра predohra uvertura uvertira ouvertyr เพลงโหมโรง uvertür, peşrev 前奏曲 увертюра اوپيرا کي تعارفي موسيقي khúc dạo đầu 前奏曲

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.