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PIANOFORTE
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds
Synonyms:
forte-piano; piano; pianoforte
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("pianoforte" is a kind of...):
keyboard instrument (a musical instrument that is played by means of a keyboard)
percussion instrument; percussive instrument (a musical instrument in which the sound is produced by one object striking another)
stringed instrument (a musical instrument in which taut strings provide the source of sound)
Meronyms (parts of "pianoforte"):
fall-board; fallboard (the hinged protective covering that protects the keyboard of a piano when it is not being played)
keyboard (device consisting of a set of keys on a piano or organ or typewriter or typesetting machine or computer or the like)
piano action (action consisting of a system of levers that move a felt hammer to strike the strings when a key is depressed)
clavier; fingerboard; piano keyboard (a bank of keys on a musical instrument)
soft pedal (a pedal on a piano that moves the action closer to the strings and so soften the sound)
soundboard; sounding board ((music) resonator consisting of a thin board whose vibrations reinforce the sound of the instrument)
loud pedal; sustaining pedal (a pedal on a piano that lifts the dampers from the strings and so allows them to continue vibrating)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "pianoforte"):
grand; grand piano (a piano with the strings on a horizontal harp-shaped frame; usually supported by three legs)
mechanical piano; Pianola; player piano (a mechanically operated piano that uses a roll of perforated paper to activate the keys)
upright; upright piano (a piano with a vertical sounding board)
Context examples:
Miss Bingley moved with some alacrity to the pianoforte; and, after a polite request that Elizabeth would lead the way which the other as politely and more earnestly negatived, she seated herself.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
Marianne's pianoforte was unpacked and properly disposed of; and Elinor's drawings were affixed to the walls of their sitting room.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
Mrs. Norris gave the particulars of the letters, and the subject was dropt; but after tea, as Miss Crawford was standing at an open window with Edmund and Fanny looking out on a twilight scene, while the Miss Bertrams, Mr. Rushworth, and Henry Crawford were all busy with candles at the pianoforte, she suddenly revived it by turning round towards the group, and saying, How happy Mr. Rushworth looks!
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
I will call another day, and hear the pianoforte.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
I have told Miss Bennet several times, that she will never play really well unless she practises more; and though Mrs. Collins has no instrument, she is very welcome, as I have often told her, to come to Rosings every day, and play on the pianoforte in Mrs. Jenkinson's room.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
As Elinor was neither musical, nor affecting to be so, she made no scruple of turning her eyes from the grand pianoforte, whenever it suited her, and unrestrained even by the presence of a harp, and violoncello, would fix them at pleasure on any other object in the room.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
I have quite as great an interest in being careful of his house as you can have; and as to such alterations as I was suggesting just now, such as moving a bookcase, or unlocking a door, or even as using the billiard-room for the space of a week without playing at billiards in it, you might just as well suppose he would object to our sitting more in this room, and less in the breakfast-room, than we did before he went away, or to my sister's pianoforte being moved from one side of the room to the other.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
He did so, but very soon stopt again to say, the pianoforte!
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
Lady Catherine listened to half a song, and then talked, as before, to her other nephew; till the latter walked away from her, and making with his usual deliberation towards the pianoforte stationed himself so as to command a full view of the fair performer's countenance.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
The pianoforte at which Marianne, wrapped up in her own music and her own thoughts, had by this time forgotten that any body was in the room besides herself, was luckily so near them that Miss Dashwood now judged she might safely, under the shelter of its noise, introduce the interesting subject, without any risk of being heard at the card-table.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
