Definitions for prelude
ˈprɛl yud, ˈpreɪl-, ˈpreɪ lud, ˈpri-pre·lude

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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 DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. PRELUDEnoun

   Etymology: prelude, Fr. præludium, Lat.

   1. Some short flight of musick played before a full concert.2. Something introductory; something that only shews what is to follow.

   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.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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 DictionaryRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

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.]

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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 DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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 ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. prelude

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

Matched Categories

1. • Music
   • Play
   • Serve

How to pronounce prelude?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say prelude in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of prelude in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of prelude in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of prelude in a Sentence

1. President Barack Obama:

   That's an area where there's just not enough national consensus at this stage to even consider it. And part of it is is people's concern that that becomes a prelude to taking people's guns away, part of the challenge of this is that the gun debate gets wrapped up in broader debates about whether the federal government is oppressive and there are conspiracy theories floating around the Internet these days all the time.

2. Valentyn Zemlyansky:

   What's been happening the past few days, these statements by Miller and Putin, is all just a prelude for talks between Russia and Ukraine over a summer deal.

3. 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.

4. Reinhold Niebuhr:

   Humor is a prelude to faith and laughter is the beginning of prayer.

5. Jonathan Schanzer:

   The question now is whether Kim Jong Un is ready to deliver, or if this is a prelude to yet another deliberate effort to spurn the West.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=prelude
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Prelude
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=prelude
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prelude
6. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=prelude
7. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=prelude