What does Prélude mean?

Definitions for Prélude
ˈprɛl yud, ˈpreɪl-, ˈpreɪ lud, ˈpri-prélude

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word Prélude.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. preliminary, overture, preludenoun

    something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows

    "training is a necessary preliminary to employment"; "drinks were the overture to dinner"

  2. preludeverb

    music that precedes a fugue or introduces an act in an opera

  3. preludeverb

    serve as a prelude or opening to

  4. preludeverb

    play as a prelude

Wiktionary

  1. preludenoun

    An introductory or preliminary performance or event; a preface.

  2. preludenoun

    A short piece of music that acts as an introduction to a longer piece.

  3. preludeverb

    To introduce something, as a prelude.

  4. Etymology: From prelude, from preludium, from earlier praeludere.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. PRELUDEnoun

    Etymology: prelude, Fr. præludium, Lat.

    To his infant arms oppose
    His father’s rebels and his brother’s foes;
    Those were the preludes of his fate,
    That form’d his manhood, to subdue
    The hydra of the many-headed hissing crew. Dryden.

    The last Georgick was a good prelude to the Æneis, and very well shewed what the poet could do in the description of what was really great. Addison.

    One concession to a man is but a prelude to another. Clarissa.

  2. To Preludeverb

    To serve as an introduction; to be previous to.

    Etymology: preluder, Fr. præludo, Lat.

    Either songster holding out their throats,
    And folding up their wings, renew’d their notes,
    As if all day, preluding to the fight,
    They only had rehears’d, to sing by night. Dryden.

ChatGPT

  1. prelude

    A prelude is an introductory part of a piece of music, event, performance, or action. It serves as a preliminary or preparatory introduction that leads to the main part of something. It could also refer to a separate piece of music intended to introduce larger work, such as a classical music composition or an opera.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Preludeverb

    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

  2. Preludeverb

    to play an introduction or prelude; to give a prefatory performance; to serve as prelude

  3. Preludeverb

    to introduce with a previous performance; to play or perform a prelude to; as, to prelude a concert with a lively air

  4. Preludeverb

    to serve as prelude to; to precede as introductory

  5. Etymology: [L. praeludere, praelusum; prae before + ludere to play: cf. F. prluder. See Ludicrous.]

Wikidata

  1. Prelude

    A prelude is a short piece of music, the form of which may vary from piece to piece. The prelude can be thought of as a preface. It may stand on its own or introduce another work. While, during the Baroque era, for example, it may have served as an introduction to succeeding movements of a work that were usually longer and more complex, it may also have been a stand alone piece of work during the Romantic era. It generally features a small number of rhythmic and melodic motifs that recur through the piece. Stylistically, the prelude is improvisatory in nature. The prelude can also refer to an overture, particularly to those seen in an opera or an oratorio.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Prelude

    prē-lūd′, or prel′ūd, n. the introductory movement of a musical work: a prefatory piece to an oratorio, &c.: an organ voluntary before a church service: a preface: a forerunner.—v.t. Prelude′, to play before: to preface, as an introduction.—v.i. to perform a prelude: to serve as a prelude.—adjs. Prelū′dial and Prelū′dious (rare); Prelū′sive, of the nature of a prelude: introductory.—advs. Prelū′sively; Prelū′sorily.—adj. Prelū′sory, introductory. [Fr.,—Late L. præludium—L. præ, before, ludĕre, to play.]

Suggested Resources

  1. prelude

    Song lyrics by prelude -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by prelude on the Lyrics.com website.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of Prélude in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of Prélude in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of Prélude in a Sentence

  1. Pesach Seder:

    The willingness to sacrifice is the prelude to freedom.

  2. Marine Col. Andrew Milburn:

    Holding yourself responsible often is a prelude to resignation. Not always, but … that's really the ultimate sanction. So, it is hard to take them seriously.

  3. Justin Onuekwusi:

    Trade talks have finished without an agreement, of course, it doesn't help that almost as a prelude to the conversation you get tweets that are quite antagonistic.

  4. Bob Bolus:

    What they're seeing today is just a prelude of what's going to come if they don't sit down and listen to us and get rid of these restrictions, because then we'll shut the country down. We control this country. Not the government.

  5. John McCain:

    The truth of that narrative is evidently of secondary importance, as the article exposed how the White House manipulated and, in some cases, manufactured facts to sell the reckless Iran nuclear deal to the American people as a prelude to large-scale disengagement from the Middle East, president Obama has taken great pains to set himself apart from his predecessor. He has succeeded in at least one respect by failing to find the courage to challenge his own assumptions, admit mistakes, and chart a better course.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

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Translations for Prélude

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

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"Prélude." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/Pr%C3%A9lude>.

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