tune

[ toon, tyoon ]

/ tun, tyun /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for tune on Thesaurus.com

noun

a succession of musical sounds forming an air or melody, with or without the harmony accompanying it.

a musical setting of a hymn, poem, psalm, etc., usually in four-part harmony.

the state of being in the proper pitch: to be in tune.

agreement in pitch; unison; harmony.

proper adjustment, as of radio instruments or circuits with respect to frequency.

harmonious relationship; accord; agreement.

Archaic. frame of mind; mood.

Obsolete. a tone or sound.

verb (used with object), tuned, tun·ing.

to adjust (a musical instrument) to a correct or given standard of pitch (often followed by up).

to adapt (the voice, song, etc.) to a particular tone, to the expression of a particular feeling, or the like.

to bring (someone or something) into harmony.

to adjust (a motor, mechanism, or the like) for proper functioning.

Radio and Television.

to adjust (a circuit, frequency, or the like) so as to bring it into resonance with another circuit, a given frequency, or the like.
to adjust (a receiving apparatus) so as to make it compatible in frequency with a transmitting apparatus whose signals are to be received.
to adjust (a receiving apparatus) so as to receive the signals of a particular transmitting station.

to put into or cause to be in a receptive condition, mood, etc.; bring into harmony or agreement.

Archaic.

to utter, sound, or express musically.
to play upon (a lyre).

verb (used without object), tuned, tun·ing.

to put a musical instrument in tune (often followed by up).

to give forth a musical sound.

to be in harmony or accord; become responsive.

Verb Phrases

tune in, to adjust a radio or television set so as to receive (signals, a particular station, etc.).

tune out,

to adjust a radio or television set so as to stop or avoid receiving (a station or channel).
Slang. to stop paying attention to a person, situation, etc.

tune up,

to cause a group of musical instruments to be brought to the same pitch.
to begin to sing.
to bring into proper operating order, as a motor: Before starting on our trip we should have the car tuned up.

OTHER WORDS FOR tune

14 harmonize, balance.

17 chime.

See synonyms for tune on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about tune

call the tune, to decide matters of policy; control: He was technically running the business, but his father still called the tune.

change one's tune, to reverse one's views; change one's mind: She changed her tune about children when she married and had her own.

sing a different tune, to be forced to change one's ways, attitude, behavior, etc.: He will sing a different tune when he has to earn his own money.

to the tune of, Informal. in or about the amount of: In order to expand, they will need capital to the tune of six million dollars.

Origin of tune

1350–1400; Middle English (noun); unexplained variant of tone

OTHER WORDS FROM tune

mis·tune, verb, mis·tuned, mis·tun·ing.non·tuned, adjectivere·tune, verb (used with object), re·tuned, re·tun·ing.un·der·tune, noun

un·der·tune, verb (used with object), un·der·tuned, un·der·tun·ing.un·tuned, adjectivewell-tuned, adjective

Other definitions for tune (2 of 2)

Tune

[ toon, tyoon ]

/ tun, tyun /

noun

Thomas James "Tommy", born 1939, U.S. dancer, choreographer, actor, singer, and director.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use tune in a sentence

A cool and laid back bar with a busy open mic night and a DJ spinning a variety of tunes.
Berkeley: A City That Fights for the Rights of All|LGBTQ-Editor|November 20, 2020|No Straight News
It certainly does pay off—to the tune of up to $2,000 in average customer lifetime value in some cases, according to Stone.
Free money, big addictions: Inside the booming world of online sports betting|Brett Haensel|November 15, 2020|Fortune
The downtown concert venue welcomes the Bad Influence Band for a night of classic blues and roots tunes.
The best things to do — virtually and in person — while social distancing in the D.C. area|Fritz Hahn, Hau Chu|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
To avoid this, PepsiCo’s Walkers brand not only ditched TV but also turned to sausage roll crisps, karaoke tunes, a LadBaby cameo and a charity link for its own festive ad.
‘It’s difficult to make the right call’: The many faces of the U.K.’s coronavirus-era Christmas advertising|Seb Joseph|November 12, 2020|Digiday

A fellow Cuban conguero, Chano Pozo, worked with Gillespie and helped write some of the trumpeter’s most memorable tunes, including “Manteca” and “Tin Tin Deo.”
Candido Camero, ‘father of modern conga drumming,’ dies at 99|Matt Schudel|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
More than 20 million people tuned in to a broadcast network drama and saw two gay men have explicit sex.
Year of the Butt: How the Booty Changed the World in 2014|Kevin Fallon|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The guitar is tuned to E, and an Eminor chord on a guitar just rings and rings forever.
Yes, I Like Christmas Music. Stop Laughing.|Michael Tomasky|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If your ears are tired of slick auto-tuned vocals, pick up this disk for an aural detox.
The Best Albums of 2014|Ted Gioia|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Stay tuned for our definitive list of the top 10 cities to visit in 2015.
Why Your Next Vacation Will Be in Turkmenistan|Brandon Presser|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One person who tuned into my story was Matt Creed, the director of Lily.
Blogger Shares and Shames Cancer in ‘Lily’|Amy Grantham|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Michael Allcroft returned to his duties, tuned for labour, full of courage, and the spirit of enterprise and action.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
D is the wire by which the tongue is tuned; E the body of the pipe which acts as a resonator.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller
The writer made its acquaintance in 1866, when it was tuned on the unequal temperament system.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller
Nothing like them ever heard beforeall tuned in the same key, as you musical fellows would say, and Perkins cocked his eye.
The Fifth String |John Philip Sousa
In practice it appears that musicians tuned the tetrachord b-e of this scale with the Pythagorean two Major tones and leimma.
The Modes of Ancient Greek Music|David Binning Monro

British Dictionary definitions for tune

tune

/ (tjuːn) /

noun

a melody, esp one for which harmony is not essential

the most important part in a musical texturethe cello has the tune at that point

the condition of producing accurately pitched notes, intervals, etc (esp in the phrases in tune, out of tune)he can't sing in tune

accurate correspondence of pitch and intonation between instruments (esp in the phrases in tune, out of tune)the violin is not in tune with the piano

the correct adjustment of a radio, television, or some other electronic circuit with respect to the required frequency (esp in the phrases in tune, out of tune)

a frame of mind; disposition or mood

obsolete a musical sound; note

call the tune to be in control of the proceedings

change one's tune, sing another tune or sing another a different tune to alter one's attitude or tone of speech

to the tune of informal to the amount or extent ofcosts to the tune of a hundred pounds

verb

to adjust (a musical instrument or a changeable part of one) to a certain pitch

to adjust (a note, etc) so as to bring it into harmony or concord

(tr) to adapt or adjust (oneself); attuneto tune oneself to a slower life

(tr often foll by up) to make fine adjustments to (an engine, machine, etc) to obtain optimum performance

electronics to adjust (one or more circuits) for resonance at a desired frequency

obsolete to utter (something) musically or in the form of a melody; sing

tune someone grief Southern African slang to annoy or harass someone

Word Origin for tune

C14: variant of tone

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with tune

tune

In addition to the idioms beginning with tune

tune in
tune out
tune up

also see:

call the tune
carry a tune
change one's tune
dance to another tune
in tune
to the tune of

tune

OTHER WORDS FOR tune

Idioms about tune

Origin of tune

OTHER WORDS FROM tune

Other definitions for tune (2 of 2)

Words related to tune

How to use tune in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tune

Word Origin for tune

Other Idioms and Phrases with tune