I. ˈmyüzik, -zēk noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English musik, from Old French musique, from Latin musica, from Greek mousikē, any art presided over by the Muses, especially music, from feminine of mousikos of the Muses, musical, from Mousa Muse + -ikos -ic — more at muse
1.
a. : the science or art of incorporating pleasing, expressive, or intelligible combinations of vocal or instrumental tones into a composition having definite structure and continuity
music as … a combination of rhythm, melody, harmony, and counterpoint, has existed less than a thousand years — Deems Taylor
b. : vocal or instrumental sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony
music of a choir
music of a hurdy-gurdy
2.
a. : an agreeable sound that is likened to a musical composition : euphony
music of the nightingale
the morning on the water has sharpened our appetites, and the sizzling and spluttering below is music in our ears — T.C.Roughley
specifically : the cry of hounds at sight of the game
b. : an unpleasant medley of sound : racket , din
the stairwell echoed the music of clashing swords
especially : a reprimand or legal prosecution for a misdeed
urged the hunted man to give himself up and face the music
c. : a quality of expression or movement characterized by tonal harmony or rhythmical grace
to him two blending thoughts give a music perceptible as two blending notes of a lute — Ezra Pound
the music of lovingly orchestrated words — Saturday Review
a purely abstract language of form — a visual music — Roger Fry
women with 107 waists of agile music — Dudley Fitts
d. : spiritual impulse or animation
that sad and universal music which stirs when we look back upon our youth — V.S.Pritchett
the music of her own happiness — Helen Howe
the sweet music of free institutions — A.E.Stevenson †1965
3.
a. obsolete : a piece of music composed or performed
I have assailed her with musics — Shakespeare
b. : a musical accompaniment
a play set to music
4.
a. : a musical ensemble — now used chiefly of a military band
another field music , equipped with drums, cymbals, horns … played with great abandon — G.S.Patton
b. chiefly dialect : a musical instrument
fetch your music into the house — Vance Randolph & G.P.Wilson
5.
a. : the score of a musical composition set down on paper
leafed through the music
b. : a recorded performance of a musical composition
stacked the hi-fi with soft music
II. verb
( musicked ; musicked ; musicking ; musics )
intransitive verb
: to compose or perform music
the man could talk in Latin, music , mime — J.C.Ransom
transitive verb
1. archaic : to instruct in music
2. : to express in or set to music
musics every jingle and clash and call — John Collier b.1901