/kri shen"doh, -sen"doh/ ; It. /krdde shen"daw/ , n. , pl. crescendos, crescendi /-dee/ , adj., adv., v.
n.
1. Music.
a. a gradual, steady increase in loudness or force.
b. a musical passage characterized by such an increase.
c. the performance of a crescendo passage: The crescendo by the violins is too abrupt.
2. a steady increase in force or intensity: The rain fell in a crescendo on the rooftops.
3. the climactic point or moment in such an increase; peak: The authorities finally took action when public outrage reached a crescendo.
adj. , adv.
4. gradually increasing in force, volume, or loudness (opposed to decrescendo or diminuendo ).
v.i.
5. to grow in force or loudness.
[ 1770-80; crescendum, ger. of crescere to grow; see CRESCENT ]
Ant. 1. diminuendo.