Basic Guidelines For English Spellings
READ THESE ARTICLESnouncrescendos, crescendi
1The loudest point reached in a gradually increasing sound.
‘the port engine's sound rose to a crescendo’‘the roar of the crowd reaches a crescendo’- ‘A great babble of voices all rose to a crescendo of sound that could only be the prelude to panic.’
- ‘Excited chattering rose to a crescendo in the auditorium as the sound of the fast-moving convoy fell upon the ears of those at the back of the crowd.’
- ‘Comedy sound effects come to a crescendo as the abused machine finally collapses in a heap of scrap metal.’
- ‘She began cursing with bitter vehemence and knocked the remaining pots around to a crescendo of reverberating noise.’
- ‘They had scrambled almost back to the road as the band's cacophony rose to a crescendo.’
- ‘The atmosphere in the stadium was fantastic, and with the roof closed, and the sound reaching a crescendo, it made the hairs on my neck stand up.’
- ‘The two embraced as the applause grew to a crescendo.’
- ‘As the engine races to a crescendo, we head off along what appears to be a new-mown field, then just as it dawns on me that this is the airstrip, we are airborne.’
- ‘Forty male voices sang in spell-binding chorus, softening at moments and then rising, fortified, to a crescendo.’
- ‘Soon the wind rose to a crescendo as it tore through trees and over roof tops.’
- ‘It began as an almost pleasant noise, but then grew to a crescendo.’
- ‘The shouting grew louder and to a crescendo as a door opened.’
- ‘The applause rose to a crescendo when four white doves were freed and flew into the night sky.’
- ‘It breaks and builds to a crescendo, the classic flute section floating over the top.’
- ‘Each song starts slowly then builds up to a crescendo.’
- ‘Cicadas start to shrill, building to a crescendo that threatens to rupture eardrums.’
- ‘The music hit a crescendo as the dancers beneath the brightly lit lanterns increased the momentum of the dance.’
- ‘The music reaches a crescendo, and their eyes meet.’
- ‘The piano music rose to a crescendo, the pianist pounding on the keys so loudly Jane covered her ears.’
- ‘The background music swells to a crescendo of heavenly orchestration in a moment intended to make audiences feel proud.’
- 1.1A gradually increasing sound.‘a crescendo of shrieks built until the entire auditorium was filled’‘he faced a crescendo of boos every time he touched the ball’
2The highest point reached in a progressive increase of intensity.
‘the hysteria reached a crescendo around the spring festival’- ‘It was a fitting crescendo to a remarkable exhibition.’
- ‘What followed was a rising crescendo in which he saw glorious opportunities for the future, the future in particular of left-of-centre politics.’
- ‘Although many speakers struck bland notes individually, together these became a crescendo of shared concern.’
- ‘His sluggish response kicked off a crescendo of criticism, prompting calls for him to resign from within his own coalition.’
- ‘I think both clubs felt it worked very well but that should not build into a crescendo of rumours that the rugby club are moving in with us.’
- ‘They believe that if you try hard enough there's a steady crescendo of improvement and your fate is in your own hands.’
- ‘That crescendo builds up, you are on your own and think you have to do something.’
peak, pinnacle, height, high point, highest point, summit, top- 2.1A progressive increase in intensity.‘there were six months of gradual crescendo then three weeks of total mayhem’‘a crescendo of misery’peak, pinnacle, height, high point, highest point, summit, top
3Music
A gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music.‘each time the key changes, there is a gradual crescendo’- ‘The second is a three-part lullaby and the finale a moto perpetuo in gradual crescendo.’
- ‘As Sora walked further down the hall, the redhead's sensitive ears picked up a gradual crescendo of a beautifully played piano.’
- ‘Instead, it had more of a gradual crescendo, a spirit to it that demanded a faster movement.’
- ‘Each piece has multiple tension points and crescendos to keep your ear engaged for a hard listen, but it honestly works best as background music.’
- ‘The music rose in a whirling crescendo as the tempo got faster.’
- 3.1A passage of music marked or performed with a crescendo.
- ‘The musical phraseology was convincing, and the crescendos and decrescendos were accurately measured and performed.’
- ‘The final crescendo was stunningly articulated!’
- ‘As crescendo after crescendo uplifts the piece, the group becomes more and more abrasive and unforgiving.’
- ‘I was dissatisfied with my execution of the crescendos and decrescendos in the ‘A Section’ of the work's scherzo movement.’
adverb
MusicWith a gradual increase in loudness.
‘in the upper three parts there are groups of longer notes played crescendo’- ‘Each goal is honoured with the crescendo beat of drums and the noise is increased by the cheers of the successful party.’
- ‘Reversing the crescendo pattern used by so many instrumental bands, the song begins with booming drums and layers of distorted bass, high-end guitars, and uplifting piano.’
adjective
MusicGradually increasing in loudness.
‘a short crescendo kettledrum roll’
verbcrescendoes, crescendoing, crescendoed
[no object]Increase in loudness or intensity.
‘the reluctant cheers began to crescendo’- ‘More laughter from the audience, which crescendoed as Kelly began actually discussing the things, in terms of their visual history and morphology.’
- ‘It's also there in the way he ends notes in the verses, crescendoing and pitching up and then choking them off suddenly, cutting the sound short.’
- ‘Soon, the faint pitter-patter crescendoed into the staccato of heavy drops falling on Heinrich's poncho.’
- ‘The drums boomed, the bass often got lost in the mix under dueling guitars, and the dueling guitars crescendoed.’
- ‘A chorus of male voices rose above the din, crescendoing, singing ‘Jezebel’ in ringing tones that deafened the room with awe.’
- ‘The advisor started chuckling softly to himself, and it grew and crescendoed into the same maniacal laughter that was coming out of the priestess's mouth far away.’
- ‘Jonas's voice crescendoed steadily with every word.’
- ‘Murmuring broke out and crescendoed into pandemonium.’
- ‘The horse's gait changed to a gallop, and the muffled rhythm of the hoof beats crescendoed until they were uncannily loud and hollow.’
- ‘The song crescendoed, and they both closed their eyes.’
- ‘My voice crescendoed into a yell slowly throughout my speech, bringing up memories of events that I'd overcome.’
- ‘Her voice started low, hardly audible, but slowly crescendoed as the temperature of the room dropped.’
- ‘It crescendoed and tipped off at an intensely sharp note.’
- ‘His voice, at first, had been soft but soon crescendoed into a bellow.’
- ‘We waited a few seconds in silence, before we heard rhythmic footsteps crescendoing as a dim, short outline approached the door.’
- ‘When motorized sounds roared and heavy gunfire crescendoed, he ran, so I ran too.’
- ‘She heard voices crescendo until the words were finally understandable.’
- ‘This will be almost falsetto but will have enough heaviness to enable the singer to crescendo smoothly.’
- ‘As the music evolved, each harmonic would crescendo but no harmonic would crescendo any louder than another.’
- ‘The drumming of his fingers matched the rain in a crescendoing concerto.’
Origin
Late 18th century Italian, present participle of crescere ‘to increase’, from Latin crescere ‘grow’.
Pronunciation
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