OVERTURE • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Overture

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/ˈoʊvərtʃər/ Listen

noun

Overture n.

An opening or aperture; a recess; a chamber. (Obs.) "The cave's inmost overture."

Disclosure; discovery; revelation. (Obs.) "It was he That made the overture of thy treasons to us."

A proposal; an offer; a proposition formally submitted for consideration, acceptance, or rejection. "The great overture of the gospel."

(Mus.) A composition, for a full orchestra, designed as an introduction to an oratorio, opera, or ballet, or as an independent piece; called in the latter case a concert overture.

verb

Overture v. t. To make an overture to; as, to overture a religious body on some subject.

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Etymology of 'Overture'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Overture" Quotes from Famous Books

... Unfortunately, his first overture of what he considered good-fellowship had been made to an upper-classman, and had been a grievous mistake. Ken had not yet recovered from its reception. He grew careful after that, then shy, and finally began to struggle against disappointment ...

— The Young Pitcher • Zane Grey

... Eastern States. The red or scarlet maple is well named, for its flowers, not any more conspicuous in form than those of its close relation, the silver maple, are usually bright red or yellow, and they give a joyous color note in the very beginning of spring's overture. Not long are these flowers with us; they fade, only to be quickly succeeded by even more brilliant samaras, a little more delicate and refined than those of the silver maple, as well as of the richest and warmest hue. Particularly in ...

— Getting Acquainted with the Trees • J. Horace McFarland

... these various noises, each of which would have no meaning alone, is music composed by some great artist whom you do not see. It is no longer a flute, a double-bass, or a violin which you hoar; it is a symphony of Beethoven's, an oratorio of Haydn's, or Mozart's overture to Don Juan. ...

— The History of a Mouthful of Bread - And its effect on the organization of men and animals • Jean Mace

... on the stage the first person she saw was Montgomery, the very one she wished most to avoid. After having conducted the overture he had come up to find out the reason of the 'wait.' Dick was rushing about, declaring that if this ever occurred again half a-crown would be stopped out of ...

— A Mummer's Wife • George Moore

... that divisions are formed in our politics as systematic as those which prevail in Great Britain. Such as opposed the constitution, from a hatred to the Union, can never be conciliated by any overture or atonement. By others it is meditated to push the construction of Federal powers to every tenable extreme. A third class, republican in principle, and, thus far, in my judgment, happy in their discernment of our welfare, have, notwithstanding, mingled with their ...

— Life And Times Of Washington, Volume 2 • John Frederick Schroeder and Benson John Lossing

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