tune

[ toon, tyoon ]

/ tun, tyun /

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.

SYNONYMS FOR tune

14 harmonize, balance.

17 chime.

See synonyms for tune on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms for 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

Definition 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. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for tune

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
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
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
Americans who previously tuned out the long, bloody civil war are now looking to learn more.
The Kardashian Look-Alike Trolling for Assad|Noah Shachtman, Michael Kennedy|October 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But now he has reached the point where America has tuned out and turned off.
Hillary Clinton Wants Bill to Lift Her Up—but Obama Will Drag Her Down|Lloyd Green|June 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Only one in twenty had seen a full episode of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, another had tuned in for a rose ceremony.
It’s About Damn Time for a Gay ‘Bachelor’|Brandy Zadrozny|May 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Thus with tight wedging, catapults are tuned to the proper pitch by musical sense of hearing.
Ten Books on Architecture|Vitruvius
The chance that someone who shouldn't be, was tuned to us as we sat there in that lonely grove!
Tarrano the Conqueror|Raymond King Cummings
It is tuned in C or in B flat, and is furnished with three or four valves or pistons.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia|Various
All that I have, all that I am, has been at your service; everything has been bent and tuned to your pleasure, for your good.
The Weavers, Complete|Gilbert Parker
It is evident, therefore, that all major thirds must be tuned somewhat sharper than perfect in a system of equal temperament.
Piano Tuning|J. Cree Fischer

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

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

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tune