duet

name

1. A surname.

noun

Etymology: PIE word *dwóh₁ From Italian duetto (“short musical composition for two voices”), diminutive of due (“two”).

1. A musical composition in two parts, each performed by a single voice (singer, instrument or univoce ensemble).
2. A song composed for and/or performed by a duo.
3. A pair or couple, especially one that is harmonious or elegant.

   “The fare is Caribbean with an Asian touch — millefeuille of sun-dried tomato, Paris mushrooms and chargrilled local asparagus followed by a duet of chicken and shrimp...”

verb

Etymology: PIE word *dwóh₁ From Italian duetto (“short musical composition for two voices”), diminutive of due (“two”).

1. To perform a duet.

   “1822, Lord Byron, Letter to Mr. Moore, Pisa, July 12, 1822, in The Letters of George Gordon Byron, edited by Mathilde Blind, London: Walter Scott, 1887, p. 277, https://books.google.ca/books?id=-DF4Zs_eezUC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false When you can spare time from duetting, coquetting, and claretting with your Hibernians of both sexes, let me have a line from you.”

   “He was about as accordantly coupled with Dr. Middleton in discourse as a drum duetting with a bass-viol […]”

2. To communicate (warnings, mating calls, etc.) through song.

   “1975, Edward O. Wilson, Sociobiology: The New Synthesis, Belknap Press, p. 223, Duetting species are typically monogamous.”

   “In several dozen species of birds there has been found a phenomenon known as duetting, or antiphonal singing: the first part of a song is executed by one partner of a pair, then the other partner very promptly chimes in to sing the second part.”

3. To perform (sing, play, etc.) as a duet.

   “Peena and Queena are duetting a giggle-for-giggle […]”

   “After the Lord's Prayer the Missionaries duetted a hymn while the children stared at me.”

4. (of two people) To say at the same time, to chorus.

   ““My dear papa!” duetted the girls; but there was something in the husband and father's face, that told the three ladies it would be worse than useless to raise that question at present.”

   “1884, Anonymous, A Speculation, Denver: D. M. Richards, Chapter 12, p. 50, https://books.google.ca/books?id=RsFQAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false “A bear!” exclaimed the Major, jumping up and coming forward. “A bear!” dueted the Doctor and Right Rev., pressing hastily to the front.”