percussion
the striking of one body against another with some sharpness; impact; blow.
Medicine/Medical. the striking or tapping of the surface of a part of the body for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
the striking of a musical instrument to produce tones.
Music.
the section of an orchestra or band comprising the percussion instruments.
the percussion instruments themselves.
a sharp blow for detonating a percussion cap or the fuze of an artillery shell.
the striking of sound on the ear.
the act of percussing.
Origin of percussion
1Other words from percussion
- per·cus·sion·al, adjective
Words Nearby percussion
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use percussion in a sentence
A slow, dynamic swell, Sara Bareilles’ “City” is one of those tracks where, as the percussion amplifies and the range expands, I find myself involuntarily swept up in it.
JBL Live Free NC+ TWS earbuds review: Made for active listening | Tony Ware | August 24, 2021 | Popular-ScienceHowever, some use percussion to press into hard knots to relax the muscle.
Best back massager: Target your sore spots and release that tension for sweet relief | Irena Collaku | August 12, 2021 | Popular-ScienceIt features 6 speeds for maximum treatment options, and the built-in percussions are scientifically formulated to optimize the effectiveness of pain relief, enhanced performance, and accelerated muscle recovery.
Reduce muscle strain and pain with these massage guns on sale | Quinn Gawronski | July 25, 2021 | Popular-ScienceThe massage felt a bit superficial—more vibration than percussion.
While we’re pushing forward, they’re shooting us with percussion grenades.
Inside the Capitol Riot: What the Parler Videos Reveal | by Alec MacGillis | January 17, 2021 | ProPublica
Still others, especially the percussion instruments, are struck by hammers that move when the air pressure changes.
How to Save Silent Movies: Inside New Jersey’s Cinema Paradiso | Rich Goldstein | October 2, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIt runs as a polyphonic symphony compared to the simple percussion section of the heart or the synchronized cellos of the liver.
The percussion rolls like thunder, the woodwinds climax, the camera swoops upward, and we see the brass plaque: The Olive Garden.
Frank Underwood Will Not Tolerate Insubordination in This Olive Garden | Kelly Williams Brown | February 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTI brought down 100 music recorders and various percussion instruments.
A machine for making percussion caps was patented by John Abraham in 1864.
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham | Thomas T. Harman and Walter ShowellThe carbon dioxid evolved distends the stomach, and its outline can easily be determined by percussion.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis | James Campbell ToddIn these instruments fully one-third of the speaking stops rely on percussion for production of their tones.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building | George Laing MillerThe Indians have only old percussion-cap rifles, and not too many of them.
Warrior Gap | Charles KingAnd finally, an ironmonger will sell you anything but a bath, while he thrives on a lively trade in percussion-caps and gunpowder.
The Isle of Unrest | Henry Seton Merriman
British Dictionary definitions for percussion
/ (pəˈkʌʃən) /
the act, an instance, or an effect of percussing
music the family of instruments in which sound arises from the striking of materials with sticks, hammers, or the hands
music
instruments of this family constituting a section of an orchestra, band, etc
(as modifier): a percussion ensemble
med the act of percussing a body surface
the act of exploding a percussion cap
Origin of percussion
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for percussion
A family of musical instruments played by striking their surfaces. Percussion instruments are used to accentuate and dramatize certain notes or rhythms and include instruments such as cymbals, drums, triangles, and xylophones. (See kettledrum, snare drum, and orchestra.)
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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