/ krəˈʃendəʊ; NAmE -doʊ/ noun ( pl. -os ) [ C , U ]
1.
( music ) a gradual increase in how loudly a piece of music is played or sung
OPP diminuendo
2.
a gradual increase in noise; the loudest point of a period of continuous noise
SYN swell :
Voices rose in a crescendo and drowned him out.
( figurative )
The advertising campaign reached a crescendo just before Christmas.
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WORD ORIGIN
late 18th cent.: Italian , present participle of crescere to increase, from Latin crescere grow.