discant
Americannoun
-
Music. Also discantus a 13th-century polyphonic style with strict mensural meter in all the voice parts, in contrast to the metrically free organum of the period.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of discant
1400–50; late Middle English < Medieval Latin discanthus; see descant
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hereat the bonny King grew blith, To hear the clownish Jest; How silly sots, as custom is, Do discant at the best.
From Wit and Mirth: or Pills to Purge Melancholy, Vol. 5 of 6 by Thomas D'Urfey
But after describing all the joys of heaven, Brother Hans comes to the conclusion that a man knows about as much of celestial matters as an ox knows of discant singing.
From The Evolution of Love by Ellie Schleussner
The doctor protested his innocence of the deed, while the parson continued to discant upon the consequences that would result from the disfiguration of his features.
From The Life and Adventures of Maj. Roger Sherman Potter by F. Colburn (Francis Colburn) Adams
To hear him discant you would have thought his wings were sprouting.
From A Transient Guest and Other Episodes by Edgar Saltus
Comely he clappyth a payre of clavicordys He whystelyth so swetely he maketh me to swet, His discant is dashed full of discordes, A red angry man, but easy to intrete; etc.
From Shakespeare and Music With Illustrations from the Music of the 16th and 17th centuries by Edward W. (Edward Woodall) Naylor
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