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Webster 1913 Edition


Overture

O′ver-ture

,
[OF.
overture
, F.
ouverture
, fr. OF.
ovrir
, F.
ouvrir
. See
Overt
.]
1.
An opening or aperture; a recess; a chamber.
[Obs.]
Spenser.
“The cave’s inmost overture.”
Chapman.
2.
Disclosure; discovery; revelation.
[Obs.]
It was he
That made the
overture
of thy treasons to us.
Shakespeare
3.
A proposal; an offer; a proposition formally submitted for consideration, acceptance, or rejection.
“The great overture of the gospel.”
Barrow.
4.
(Mus.)
A composition, for a full orchestra, designed as an introduction to an oratorio, opera, or ballet, or as an independent piece; – called in the latter case a
concert overture
.

O′ver-ture

,
Verb.
T.
To make an overture to;
as, to
overture
a religious body on some subject
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Overture

O'VERTURE

,
Noun.
1.
Opening; disclosure; discovery. [In this literal sense, little used.]
2.
Proposal; something offered for consideration, acceptance or rejection. The prince made overtures of peace, which were accepted.
3.
The opening piece, prelude or symphony of some public act, ceremony or entertainment. The overture in theatrical entertainments, is a piece of music usually ending in a fugue. The overture of a jubilee is a general procession, &c.

Definition 2024


overture

overture

English

Noun

overture (plural overtures)

  1. (obsolete) An opening; a recess or chamber. [15th-19th c.]
    • Chapman
      the cave's inmost overture
  2. (obsolete) Disclosure; discovery; revelation.
    • Shakespeare
      It was he / That made the overture of thy treasons to us.
  3. (often in plural) An approach or proposal made to initiate communication, establish a relationship etc. [from 15th c.]
    • 2012 April 23, Angelique Chrisafis, “François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election”, in the Guardian:
      Sarkozy gave a defiant speech, going on the offensive and betraying no hint of having been beaten. He styled the result as a "crisis" vote, by a French population which was "suffering". In a clear overture to Le Pen's voters, and the extreme-right motto of loving France, he said: "I call on all French people who put love of their country above partisan considerations, to unite and join me."
    • 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, Abacus 2010, p. 20:
      My mother had no choice; one did not turn down such an overture from the regent.
  4. (Scotland) A motion placed before a legislative body, such as the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. [from 16th c.]
  5. (music) A musical introduction to a piece of music. [from 17th c.]

Antonyms

  • (opening of a piece of music): coda

Translations

Related terms

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Old French

Etymology

overt + -ure, from ovrir (to open), or from Vulgar Latin *opertūra, from Latin apertūra.

Noun

overture f (oblique plural overtures, nominative singular overture, nominative plural overtures)

  1. an opening
    Par l'overture s'en saut hors. (Tristan, Béroul)
    He jumped out through the opening.

Descendants