chord

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Mathematics Technical

n. a straight line that connects two points on a curved line or circle.

n. a straight line segment whose endpoints both lie on a circular arc or other curve.

“The teacher asked us to draw a chord across the circle without passing through the center.”

“In geometry, the diameter is technically the longest possible chord that can be drawn within a circle.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical

n. the width of an aircraft wing from the front edge to the back edge.

n. the distance between the leading and trailing edges of an aerofoil, measured in the direction of the normal airflow.

“Engineers measured the chord of the wing to calculate how much lift it would create.”

“The tapered wing design features a varying chord length to optimize aerodynamic efficiency at high altitudes.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Computing Technical

n. a keyboard shortcut where you press two or more keys in a specific order.

n. a keyboard input method involving a combination of keys pressed simultaneously or in a specific sequence to execute a command.

“Some advanced text editors use a chord like Ctrl+K followed by Ctrl+C to comment out code.”

“Power users often prefer chorded commands because they allow for a vast number of shortcuts without moving the hands from the home row.”

C2 · Proficiency Music Technical

v. to write or provide the musical chords for a piece of music.

v. to compose, provide, or arrange harmonic chords for a melody.

“She spent the afternoon chording the new song she wrote on her guitar.”

“The pianist was asked to chord the folk melody, adding a modern jazz influence to the traditional structure.”