chord1

[kawrd] /kɔrd/
noun
1.
a feeling or emotion:
His story struck a chord of pity in the listeners.
2.
Geometry. the line segment between two points on a given curve.
3.
Engineering, Building Trades. a principal member of a truss extending from end to end, usually one of a pair of such members, more or less parallel and connected by a web composed of various compression and tension members.
4.
Aeronautics. a straight line joining the trailing and leading edges of an airfoil section.
5.
Anatomy, cord (def 6).
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English < Latin chorda < Greek chordḗ gut, string; replacing cord in senses given
Related forms
chorded, adjective

chord2

[kawrd] /kɔrd/
noun
1.
a combination of usually three or more musical tones sounded simultaneously.
verb (used with object)
2.
to establish or play a chord or chords for (a particular harmony or song); harmonize or voice:
How would you chord that in B flat?
Origin
1350-1400; earlier cord, Middle English, short for accord; ch- from chord1
Examples from the web for chords
  • By touching the spinning bowls with wet fingers he produced chords and complex melodies.
  • On the third try, chords tumbled from my fingers, and the piece flowed from there.
  • The main reason for playing an instrument, of course, will always be the sheer joy of blowing a horn or banging out chords.
  • The world can definitely use more popular artists who strike those chords.
  • The chords of martial music stir different sentiments.
  • He was found with his vocal chords cut-presumably the work of government thugs.
  • Her songs were full of complicated splendour and yet almost unfailingly touched the deepest chords of your heart.
  • But its haunting chords and rhythms do not conquer tone-deaf bureaucracies.
  • Hundreds of bands play wistful choruses over the same four chords and don't get much further than the garage or local bar.
  • For instance, he composed a suite for mechanical player piano that allowed intricate chords of well more than ten notes.
British Dictionary definitions for chords

chord1

/kɔːd/
noun
1.
(maths)
  1. a straight line connecting two points on a curve or curved surface
  2. the line segment lying between two points of intersection of a straight line and a curve or curved surface
2.
(engineering) one of the principal members of a truss, esp one that lies along the top or the bottom
3.
(anatomy) a variant spelling of cord
4.
an emotional response, esp one of sympathy: the story struck the right chord
5.
an imaginary straight line joining the leading edge and the trailing edge of an aerofoil
6.
(archaic) the string of a musical instrument
Derived Forms
chorded, adjective
Word Origin
C16: from Latin chorda, from Greek khordē gut, string; see cord

chord2

/kɔːd/
noun
1.
the simultaneous sounding of a group of musical notes, usually three or more in number See concord (sense 4), discord (sense 3)
verb
2.
(transitive) to provide (a melodic line) with chords
Derived Forms
chordal, adjective
Word Origin
C15: short for accord; spelling influenced by chord1
Word Origin and History for chords

chord

n.

"related notes in music," 1590s, ultimately a shortening of accord (or borrowed from a similar development in French) and influenced by Latin chorda "catgut, a string" of a musical instrument (see cord (n.)). Spelling with an -h- first recorded c.1600, from confusion with chord (n.2). Originally two notes; of three or more from 18c.

"structure in animals resembling a string," 1540s, alteration of cord (n.), by influence of Greek khorde "gut-string, string of a lyre, tripe," from PIE *ghere- "gut, entrail" (see yarn). The geometry sense is from 1550s; meaning "feeling, emotion" first attested 1784.

chords in Medicine

chord (kôrd)
n.
Variant of cord.

chords in Science
chord
  (kôrd)   

  1. A line segment that joins two points on a curve.

  2. A straight line connecting the leading and trailing edges of an airfoil.


chords in Culture

chord definition


In music, the sound of three or more notes played at the same time. The history of Western music is marked by an increase in complexity of the chords composers use.

Slang definitions & phrases for chords

chord

Related Terms

pink chord


Idioms and Phrases with chords

chord

see: strike a chord