piano
adverb
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L333591 on Wikidata ↗adjective
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L339269 on Wikidata ↗noun
- a musical instrument, with a large keyboard, and two or three foot pedals
- musical instrument
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /piˈɑːnəʊ/ / /ˈpjɑːnəʊ/ / /piˈɑnoʊ/ / /ˈpjænəʊ/ / /piˈænəʊ/ / /piˈænoʊ/
adj
Etymology: Etymology tree Italian pianobor. English piano Borrowed from Italian piano.
- Soft, quiet.
- Gentle, soft, subdued.
““Oh! yes, yes, there is not a word to be said against James Benwick[…]that soft sort of manner does not do him justice.”[…] “Well, well, ladies are the best judges; but James Benwick is rather too piano for me[…]””
“‘Tradecraft, Chris,’ Enderby put in, who liked his bit of jargon, and Martindale, still piano, shot him a glance of admiration.”
adv
Etymology: Etymology tree Italian pianobor. English piano Borrowed from Italian piano.
- Softly, as a dynamic in a piece of music.
“(abbreviation) p”
name
Etymology: Etymology tree Italian Pianobor. English Piano Borrowed from Italian Piano.
- A surname from Italian.
noun
Etymology: Clipping of pianoforte, from Italian pianoforte, from piano (“soft”) + forte (“strong”). So named because it could produce a wide range of varied volumes note-by-note, in contrast to older keyboard instruments, notably the harpsichord. Doublet of llano, plain, and plane.
- A percussive keyboard musical instrument, usually ranging over seven octaves, with white and black colored keys, played by pressing these keys, causing hammers to strike strings.
“The piano in his house takes up a lot of space.”
“She has been taking lessons for many years and now plays piano very well.”
verb
Etymology: Etymology tree Italian pianobor. English piano Borrowed from Italian piano.
- To become softer and less intense.
““You know, Mrs. Wrigglechops,” pianoed Miss Drucilla , even more meekly and mildly than before, "the ace is either one or eleven."”
“His tone pianoed on intimacy.”