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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
prel·ude    Audio Help   [prel-yood, preyl-, prey-lood, pree-] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, -ud·ed, -ud·ing.
–noun
1.a preliminary to an action, event, condition, or work of broader scope and higher importance.
2.any action, event, comment, etc. that precedes something else.
3.Music.
a.a relatively short, independent instrumental composition, free in form and resembling an improvisation.
b.a piece that precedes a more important movement.
c.the overture to an opera.
d.an independent piece, of moderate length, sometimes used as an introduction to a fugue.
e.music opening a church service; an introductory voluntary.
–verb (used with object)
4.to serve as a prelude or introduction to.
5.to introduce by a prelude.
6.to play as a prelude.
–verb (used without object)
7.to serve as a prelude.
8.to give a prelude.
9.to play a prelude.

[Origin: 1555–65; (n.) < ML praelūdium, equiv. to prae- pre- + -lūdium play; cf. L lūdus play; (v.) < L praelūdere to play beforehand]

prel·ud·er, noun
pre·lu·di·al    Audio Help   [pri-loo-dee-uhl] Pronunciation Key, pre·lu·di·ous, adjective
pre·lu·di·ous·ly, adverb

1. introduction, opening, beginning.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
prelude

To learn more about prelude visit Britannica.com

© 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
prel·ude    Audio Help   (prěl'yōōd', prā'lōōd', prē'-)  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
  1. An introductory performance, event, or action preceding a more important one; a preliminary or preface.
  2. Music
    1. A piece or movement that serves as an introduction to another section or composition and establishes the key, such as one that precedes a fugue, opens a suite, or precedes a church service.
    2. A similar but independent composition for the piano.
    3. The overture to an oratorio, opera, or act of an opera.
    4. A short composition of the 15th and early 16th centuries written in a free style, usually for keyboard.

v.   prel·ud·ed, prel·ud·ing, prel·udes

v.   tr.
  1. To serve as a prelude to.
  2. To introduce with or as if with a prelude.

v.   intr.
To serve as a prelude or introduction.


[Medieval Latin praelūdium, from Latin praelūdere, to play beforehand : prae-, pre- + lūdere, to play; see leid- in Indo-European roots.]

prel'ud'er n., pre·lu'di·al (prĭ-lōō'dē-əl) adj.
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
prelude 
1561, from M.Fr. prélude "notes sung or played to test the voice or instrument" (1532), from M.L. preludium "prelude, preliminary," from L. præludere "to play beforehand for practice, preface," from præ- "before" + ludere "to play" (see ludicrous). Purely musical sense first attested in Eng. 1658.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
prelude

noun
1. something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows; "training is a necessary preliminary to employment"; "drinks were the overture to dinner" [syn: preliminary
2. music that precedes a fugue or introduces an act in an opera 

verb
1. serve as a prelude or opening to 
2. play as a prelude 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
prelude1 [ˈpreljuːd] noun
an event etc that goes before, and acts as an introduction to, something
Arabic: تَمْهيد، مُقَدِّمَه
Chinese (Simplified): 序言,序幕
Chinese (Traditional): 序言,序幕
Czech: úvod
Danish: indledning
Dutch: voorspel
Estonian: sissejuhatus
Finnish: johdanto
French: prélude
German: das Vorspiel
Greek: προοίμιο
Hungarian: előzmény
Icelandic: undanfari
Indonesian: awal
Italian: preludio
Japanese: 前触れ
Korean: 준비 행위
Latvian: ievads; iesākums
Lithuanian: įžanga
Norwegian: innledning, opptakt
Polish: wstęp
Portuguese (Brazil): prelúdio
Portuguese (Portugal): prelúdio
Romanian: introducere
Russian: вступление, начало
Slovak: úvod
Slovenian: predigra
Spanish: preludio
Swedish: förspel, upptakt, inledning
Turkish: giriş
prelude2 [ˈpreljuːd] noun
a piece of music played as an introduction to the main piece
Arabic: مُقَدِّمَه موسيقيَّه
Chinese (Simplified): 序曲
Chinese (Traditional): 序曲
Czech: preludium, předehra
Danish: præludium
Dutch: prelude
Estonian: eelmäng
Finnish: alkusoitto
French: prélude
German: das Vorspiel
Greek: πρελούδιο (μουσ.)
Hungarian: előjáték, prelúdium
Icelandic: forspil
Indonesian: intro
Italian: preludio
Japanese: 前奏曲
Korean: 전주곡
Latvian: prelūdija
Lithuanian: preliudas
Norwegian: preludium
Polish: preludium
Portuguese (Brazil): prelúdio
Portuguese (Portugal): prelúdio
Romanian: preludiu
Russian: прелюдия
Slovak: prelúdium, predohra
Slovenian: preludij
Spanish: preludio
Swedish: preludium
Turkish: prelüt
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Prelude

Pre"lude\, n. [F. pr['e]lude (cf. It. preludio, LL. praeludium), fr. L. prae before + ludus play. See Prelude, v. t.] An introductory performance, preceding and preparing for the principal matter; a preliminary part, movement, strain, etc.; especially (Mus.), a strain introducing the theme or chief subject; a movement introductory to a fugue, yet independent; -- with recent composers often synonymous with overture.

The last Georgic was a good prelude to the [AE]nis --Addison.

The cause is more than the prelude, the effect is more than the sequel, of the fact. --Whewell.

Syn: Preface; introduction; preliminary; preamble; forerunner; harbinger; precursor.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Prelude

Pre"lude\, n. [F. pr['e]lude (cf. It. preludio, LL. praeludium), fr. L. prae before + ludus play. See Prelude, v. t.] An introductory performance, preceding and preparing for the principal matter; a preliminary part, movement, strain, etc.; especially (Mus.), a strain introducing the theme or chief subject; a movement introductory to a fugue, yet independent; -- with recent composers often synonymous with overture.

The last Georgic was a good prelude to the [AE]nis --Addison.

The cause is more than the prelude, the effect is more than the sequel, of the fact. --Whewell.

Syn: Preface; introduction; preliminary; preamble; forerunner; harbinger; precursor.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Prelude

Pre*lude"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Preluded; p. pr. & vb. n. Preluding.] [L. praeludere, praelusum; prae before + ludere to play: cf. F. pr['e]luder. See Ludicrous.] To play an introduction or prelude; to give a prefatory performance; to serve as prelude.

The musicians preluded on their instruments. --Sir. W. Scott.

We are preluding too largely, and must come at once to the point. --Jeffrey.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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