crescendo

CEFRC1

/kɹɪˈʃɛn.dəʊ/

noun · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A gradual increase in loudness or strength in music or sound.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A gradual increase of anything, especially to a dramatic climax.

Examples

  • The overwhelming crescendo by the orchestra was exciting.

  • The noise had reached a crescendo.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
2
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /kɹɪˈʃɛn.doʊ/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. The climax of a gradual increase.

  2. An instruction to play gradually more loudly, denoted by a long, narrow angle with its apex on the left ( < ), by musicians called a hairpin.

verb

Extra meaning

  1. To increase in intensity; to reach or head for a crescendo.

More examples

In context

  • The noise had reached its crescendo.

  • The band crescendoed and then suddenly went silent.

  • Their arguing rose to a fearsome crescendo.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The orchestra reached a powerful blank that thrilled the entire audience in the hall.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

Borrowed from Italian crescendo, gerund of crescere (“to grow, to increase”).