-s verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English rehersen, rehercen, from Middle French rehercier to repeat, to harrow over again, from re- + hercier to harrow, from herce harrow — more at hearse
transitive verb
1.
a. : to repeat or say again (as something already said or heard)
the term is duly rehearsed in most of the history books — S.L.Faison
no need to rehearse here in detail the familiar story — F.L.Allen
b. : to recite or repeat aloud in a formal manner : say or tell over usually from beginning to end
as if she had been in the dock she rehearsed her poor tale — Maurice Hewlett
2. archaic : to present an account of : describe at length : narrate , recount , relate , tell
rehearses to a youth … the checkered story of her life — J.L.Lowes
3. : to recount in order : mention one by one or one after another : enumerate
an address which rehearsed the wrongs suffered by the army — H.E.Scudder
rehearse the multitude of things produced by … savages and peasants — John Dewey
4.
a. : to practice or go through (as a play, scene, or part) in private in preparation for a more formal and public presentation : recite or repeat (as lines) in such a practice
rehearsed the shooting of a rural story — Andrew Buchanan
while his grandfather rehearsed campaign speeches — Current Biography
familiar symphonies … rarely get rehearsed — Virgil Thomson
b. : to train, instruct, or make proficient by rehearsal
staff members have been rehearsed for the gala opening — Springfield (Massachusetts) Union
rehearses the orchestra three times for each of his programs — Virgil Thomson
5. : to perform or practice as if in a rehearsal
the kitten rehearses the kind of actions the cat employs in catching its prey — John Dewey
the Pacific Fleet will rehearse … a mission they might be called to perform — New York Times
intransitive verb
: to recite something especially for practice : engage in a rehearsal
dominant actors who rehearsed in submissive roles — Helen H. Nowlis
Synonyms: see relate