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.
n. a record; a record album; music in general. (See also tunage.) : I got some new tunes. Wanna come over and listen?
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition. Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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