tune
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.a series of musical notes that are pleasant and easy to remember.
n.a sequence of musical notes that form a distinct melody or theme.
Simple“I have a catchy tune stuck in my head after hearing it on the radio.”
In context“The composer took a simple folk tune and developed it into a complex orchestral movement.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.a piece of music, especially a popular song.
n.a musical composition, often used informally to refer to a specific track or song.
Simple“The DJ played a great tune and everyone started dancing.”
In context“The band performed several new tunes from their upcoming album during the soundcheck.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
n.the state of a musical instrument playing the right notes.
n.the state of being at the correct pitch or frequency.
Simple“The piano is out of tune and needs a professional to fix it.”
In context“The choir struggled to stay in tune during the difficult a cappella section of the performance.”
UsageCommonly used in the phrases 'in tune' or 'out of tune'.
- 04 B1 Intermediate
v.to adjust a musical instrument so it plays the correct notes.
v.to adjust the pitch of a musical instrument to a standard or to other instruments.
Simple“The guitarists spent a few minutes tuning their instruments before the show.”
In context“Before the concert began, the lead violinist played a concert A to help the rest of the orchestra tune.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to adjust a machine or engine so it works as well as possible.
v.to adjust a mechanical or electronic device for optimal performance or frequency.
Simple“He spent the weekend tuning his car engine for the upcoming race.”
In context“The technician had to tune the receiver to the correct frequency to eliminate the background static.”
“No more playing catchy tunes to entertain young children.”
“What happened to his Saturday Tunes, where he used to recommend new bands every week on Twitter?”
From Middle English tune, an unexplained variant of tone, from Old French ton, from Latin tonus, from Ancient Greek τόνος (tónos, “a tone”). Doublet of tone, ton, and tonus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.