tempo

American  

[tem-poh] / ˈtɛm poʊ /

noun

plural

tempos, tempi

1. Music. relative rapidity or rate of movement, usually indicated by such terms as adagio, allegro, etc., or by reference to the metronome.

2. characteristic rate, rhythm, or pattern of work or activity.

   the tempo of city life.

3. Chess. the gaining or losing of time and effectiveness relative to one's continued mobility or developing position, especially with respect to the number of moves required to gain an objective.

   Black gained a tempo.

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tempo British  

/ ˈtɛmpəʊ /

noun

1. the speed at which a piece or passage of music is meant to be played, usually indicated by a musical direction ( tempo marking ) or metronome marking

2. rate or pace

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tempo Cultural  

1. In music, the speed at which a piece is performed. It is the Italian word for “time.”

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Etymology

Origin of tempo

1680–90; < Italian < Latin tempus time

Example Sentences

From then on, Root and Brook were outstanding, finding an ideal tempo for Test batting that had eluded England for much of the tour.

From BBC

The Broncos have thrived in tight games by limiting mistakes, relying on their pass rush and letting their defense control tempo.

From Los Angeles Times

All are increasingly adept at drone warfare, military officials say, a trend reflected in the tempo of strikes.

From The Wall Street Journal

“D” words roll smoothly into their brisk train-going-down-a-track-type tempo, often referred to as the “cattle rattle.”

From The Wall Street Journal

If the Chargers protect the ball and finish drives instead of settling for field goals, they can keep Houston from dictating the tempo.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cadence
• momentum
• pace
• velocity