fife

CEFRC2

/ˈfaɪf/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A small high-pitched flute used in military music.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    To play this instrument.

Examples

  • He played a traditional tune on his wooden fife.

  • The boy played a lively tune on his fife.

At a glance

Sits at C2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
2

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. Used instead of five in radio communications, especially NATO and ICAO, to avoid confusion with fire or nine.

  2. A small shrill pipe, resembling the piccolo flute, used chiefly to accompany the drum in military music

More examples

In context

  • The fife section marched in the parade.

  • Ross: Will you to Scone? Macduff: No, cousin, I'll to Fife.

  • “Change course to two fife zero and reduce height to fifteen hundred feet.” That “fife,” thought Alan, sounded very affected; but it had a good survival value in a noisy background.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The marching band's drummer kept the rhythm while the blank player carried the melody.

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

Nearby

Origin

noun

From German Pfeife (“whistle, smoking pipe”). Doublet of pipe.