gradually decreasing in tempo
adjective (modifies a noun)
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music » auditory communication » communication » abstraction
rallentando | ritenuto | rall. [abbreviation] | rit. [abbreviation]
Italian, present participle of ritardare, to slow down, from Latin retardāre;...
(Source: American Heritage Dictionary) [more]
the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece. The tempo of a piece will typically be written at the start of a piece of music, and in modern Western music... (50 of 3689 words, 4 images)
another term for "rallentando" rit | Same as "ritardando" | Same as "ritardando" (11 of 192 words, 3 definitions, pronunciations)
www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ritardando
[music] : (especially as a direction) with a gradual decrease of speed. | a gradual decrease in speed (17 of 51 words, 2 definitions, 2 usage examples, pronunciations)
with a gradual slackening in tempo [used as a direction in music] (12 of 41 words, pronunciation)
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ritardando
a ritardando passage (3 of 15 words)
[musical direction] becoming gradually slower: when used other than in a musical score, also in roman type | [music] a passage to be performed ... (23 of 37 words, 2 definitions)
Gradually slowing in tempo; retarding. Used chiefly as a direction. (10 of 29 words)
Gradually decelerating the tempo of a piece of music, especially at the end of the piece. (16 of 18 words)
becoming gradually slower. (3 of 11 words, pronunciation)
[intransitive] to become less | [transitive] to make something become less | [transitive] to deliberately make someone or something seem less ... (19 of 90 words, 3 definitions, 5 usage examples, pronunciation)
www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/diminish
becoming gradually slower (3 of 38 words, pronunciation)
encarta.msn.com/dictionary 1861705587/definition.html [offline]
Origin: Italian, present participle of ritardare, to slow down, from Latin retardāre; see "retard" [sense-specific].
Origin: Borrowed from Italian ritardando, gerund of ritardare ("to delay, to slow down").
First use: 19th century
Origin: from Italian, from ritardare to slow down
www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ritardando
Origin: Italian, gerund of ritardare, to delay: see "retard"
Origin: Italian
First use: about 1811
Origin: Italian, from Latin retardandum, gerund of retardare to retard
First use: Early 19th century
Origin: Italian, present participle of ritardare "slow down" from Latin retardare
encarta.msn.com/dictionary 1861705587/definition.html [offline]
Audio: British English pronunciation of "ritardando"
www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ritardando
Audio: North American pronunciation of "ritardando"
www.merriam-webster.com/audio.php file=ritard02 word=ritardando
Page last updated: 2013-01-01