crescendo

[kri-shen-doh, -sen-doh, kre-shen-daw]

noun

plural

crescendos, crescendi 

1. Music.

   1. a gradual, steady increase in loudness or force.

   2. a musical passage characterized by such an increase.

   3. the performance of a crescendo passage.

      The crescendo by the violins is too abrupt.

   Antonyms: diminuendo

2. a steady increase in force or intensity.

   The rain fell in a crescendo on the rooftops.

3. the climactic point or moment in such an increase; peak.

   The authorities finally took action when public outrage reached a crescendo.

adjective

1. gradually increasing in force, volume, or loudness (decrescendo ordiminuendo ).

verb (used without object)

1. to grow in force or loudness.

crescendo

/ krɪˈʃɛndəʊ /

noun

1. music

   1. cresc. a gradual increase in loudness or the musical direction or symbol indicating this

   2. ( as modifier )

      a crescendo passage

2. a gradual increase in loudness or intensity

   the rising crescendo of a song

3. a peak of noise or intensity

   the cheers reached a crescendo

verb

1. (intr) to increase in loudness or force

adverb

1. with a crescendo

crescendo

1. A musical direction used to indicate increasing loudness.

The term is sometimes used figuratively to indicate rising intensity in general: “As the days went on, there was a crescendo of angry letters about my speech.” Crescendo is also sometimes misused to indicate a peak of intensity, as in, “The angry letters about my speech hit a crescendo on Wednesday.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of crescendo¹

1770–80; < Italian: literally, growing < Latin crēscendum, gerund of crēscere to grow; crescent

Word History and Origins

Origin of crescendo¹

C18: from Italian, literally: increasing, from crescere to grow, from Latin

Example Sentences

A crescendo is building, and the Rams might be best to ignore it.

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The story’s emotional climax, the crescendo of his bold answer to Shakespeare’s soliloquy, is drenched in golden hues to underscore a life or death choice.

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The music in the air swells into a crescendo, as if I’m in the middle of a choreographed Lion King song-and-dance number.

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Over tattered drum and bass patterns, retro-futuristic crescendos and ephemeral melodies, Twigs attempts to bottle the way dance music makes her feel.

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That battle is quickly reaching its crescendo with just three weeks left in the season.

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Related Words

• escalation 
• upsurge