Overture (Noun)
Meaning 1
Something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows; "training is a necessary preliminary to employment"; "drinks were the overture to dinner".
Classification
Nouns denoting natural events.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
A tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others; "she rejected his advances".
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
Orchestral music played at the beginning of an opera or oratorio.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The orchestra's lively overture set the tone for the evening's performance of La Bohème.
- In the Baroque era, the overture typically featured a slow introduction followed by a faster section.
- The overture to Handel's Messiah is one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music.
- Before the curtain rose, the audience was treated to a beautiful overture performed by the symphony orchestra.
- The conductor raised his baton to begin the overture to Verdi's Otello, and the musicians launched into a dramatic rendition of the famous opera's opening music.