to the tune of
noun
1.
a succession of musical sounds forming an air or melody, with or without the harmony accompanying it.
2.
a musical setting of a hymn, poem, psalm, etc., usually in four-part harmony.
3.
the state of being in the proper pitch: to be in tune.
4.
agreement in pitch; unison; harmony.
5.
proper adjustment, as of radio instruments or circuits with respect to frequency.
6.
harmonious relationship; accord; agreement.
7.
Archaic. frame of mind; mood.
8.
Obsolete. a tone or sound.
verb (used with object)
9.
to adjust (a musical instrument) to a correct or given standard of pitch (often followed by up ).
10.
to adapt (the voice, song, etc.) to a particular tone, to the expression of a particular feeling, or the like.
11.
to bring (someone or something) into harmony.
12.
to adjust (a motor, mechanism, or the like) for proper functioning.
13.
Radio and Television.
a.
to adjust (a circuit, frequency, or the like) so as to bring it into resonance with another circuit, a given frequency, or the like.
b.
to adjust (a receiving apparatus) so as to make it compatible in frequency with a transmitting apparatus whose signals are to be received.
c.
to adjust (a receiving apparatus) so as to receive the signals of a particular transmitting station.
00:10
To the tune of
is always a great word to know.
So is interrobang. Does it mean:
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
verb (used without object)
Verb phrases 16.
to put a musical instrument in tune (often followed by up ).
17.
to give forth a musical sound.
18.
to be in harmony or accord; become responsive.
19.
tune in, to adjust a radio or television set so as to receive (signals, a particular station, etc.).
20.
tune out,
a.
to adjust a radio or television set so as to stop or avoid receiving (a station or channel).
b.
Slang. to stop paying attention to a person, situation, etc.
21.
Idioms tune up,
a.
to cause a group of musical instruments to be brought to the same pitch.
b.
to begin to sing.
c.
to bring into proper operating order, as a motor: Before starting on our trip we should have the car tuned up.
22.
call the tune, to decide matters of policy; control: He was technically running the business, but his father still called the tune.
23.
change one's tune, to reverse one's views; change one's mind: She changed her tune about children when she married and had her own.
24.
sing a different tune, to be forced to change one's ways, attitude, behavior, etc.: He will sing a different tune when he has to earn his own money.
25.
to the tune of, Informal. in or about the amount of: In order to expand, they will need capital to the tune of six million dollars.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To to the tune of
Collins
World English Dictionary
tune (tjuːn) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a melody, esp one for which harmony is not essential |
| 2. | the most important part in a musical texture: the cello has the tune at that point |
| 3. | the condition of producing accurately pitched notes, intervals, etc (esp in the phrases in tune, out of tune): he can't sing in tune |
| 4. | accurate correspondence of pitch and intonation between instruments (esp in the phrases in tune, out of tune): the violin is not in tune with the piano |
| 5. | the correct adjustment of a radio, television, or some other electronic circuit with respect to the required frequency (esp in the phrases in tune, out of tune) |
| 6. | a frame of mind; disposition or mood |
| 7. | obsolete a musical sound; note |
| 8. | call the tune to be in control of the proceedings |
| 9. | change one's tune, sing another tune, sing another a different tune to alter one's attitude or tone of speech |
| 10. | informal to the tune of to the amount or extent of: costs to the tune of a hundred pounds |
| —vb (often foll by up) | |
| 11. | to adjust (a musical instrument or a changeable part of one) to a certain pitch |
| 12. | to adjust (a note, etc) so as to bring it into harmony or concord |
| 13. | (tr) to adapt or adjust (oneself); attune: to tune oneself to a slower life |
| 14. | to make fine adjustments to (an engine, machine, etc) to obtain optimum performance |
| 15. | electronics to adjust (one or more circuits) for resonance at a desired frequency |
| 16. | obsolete to utter (something) musically or in the form of a melody; sing |
| 17. | slang (South African) tune someone grief to annoy or harass someone |
| [C14: variant of | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
tune
late 14c., "a musical sound, a succession of musical notes," unexplained variant of tone. Meaning "state of being in proper pitch" is from mid-15c.; the verb in this sense is recorded from c.1500. Non-musical meaning "to adjust an organ or receiver" is recorded from 1887. Verbal
phrase tune in in reference to radio (later also TV) is recorded from 1913; figurative sense of "become aware" is recorded from 1926. Tune out "to eliminate radio reception" is recorded from 1908; fig. sense of "disregard, stop heeding" is from 1928. Tunesmith is a U.S. colloquial coinage first recorded 1926.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary
to the tune of (sth) definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
to the tune of
To the sum or extent of, as in They had profits to the tune of about $20 million. This idiom transfers tune, a succession of musical tones, to a succession of figures. [First half of 1700s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Nearby Words
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