n. & v.
n. 1 Mus. a contrapuntal composition in which a short melody or phrase (the subject) is introduced by one part and successively taken up by others and developed by interweaving the parts. 2 Psychol. loss of awareness of one's identity, often coupled with flight from one's usual environment.
v.intr. (fugues, fugued, fuguing) Mus. compose or perform a fugue. fuguist n.
[ F or It. f. L fuga flight ]