overture

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Music

o·ver·ture /ˈəʊvətjʊə, -tʃʊə, -tʃə $ ˈoʊvərtjʊr, -tʃʊr, -tʃər/ noun  1. [countable]APM a short piece of music written as an introduction to a long piece of music, especially an opera 〔尤指歌剧的〕序曲，前奏曲2  overtures [plural]RELATIONSHIP an attempt to begin a friendly relationship with a person, country etc 〔试图与某人、某国等建立友好关系的〕主动表示，姿态 They began making overtures to the Irish government. 他们开始向爱尔兰政府表示友好。 She had rejected his overtures. 她拒绝了他的示好。3. be an overture INTRODUCEif an event is an overture to a more important event, it happens just before it and makes you expect it 是一个序幕〔表示某事是另一更为重要之事的开端〕

Examples from the Corpus

overture• He began to tell his family she was his girlfriend although in reality she had rejected his overtures.• In fact, I had once or twice let myself be tempted into making overtures to her.• Opera overtures usually contain all the main musical themes of the opera, and should be listened to with the curtain down.• Californians have already begun seeing overtures from retailers as the competition stirs.• sexual overtures• The Svoboda overture seemed a minor but palpable discovery.• So in the overture they put Reuben Reeves on stage doing some of Louis's tunes.• At this overture, Alice looked perplexed.• Colours echo with overtures of country lane rambles, windswept beaches and wild flower-filled meadows.Origin overture (1400-1500) Old French “opening”, from Latin apertura; → APERTURE

o·ver·ture nounChineseSyllable  

of a as an Corpus music piece written short

overture
o‧ver‧ture /ˈəʊvətjʊə, -tʃʊə, -tʃə $ ˈoʊvərtjʊr, -tʃʊr, -tʃər/ noun1. [countable] a short piece of music written as an introduction to a long piece of music, especially an opera
2. overtures [plural] an attempt to begin a friendly relationship with a person, country etc:
    They began making overtures to the Irish government.
    She had rejected his overtures.
3. be an overture if an event is an overture to a more important event, it happens just before it and makes you expect it

over·tureBrE /ˈəʊvətʃʊə(r)/ 🔊, /ˈəʊvətjʊə(r)/ 🔊NAmE /ˈoʊvərtʃər/ 🔊, /ˈoʊvərtʃʊr/ 🔊 nouna piece of music written as an introduction to an opera or a ballet （歌剧或芭蕾舞的）序曲，前奏曲◆Prokofiev's overture to 'Romeo and Juliet'普罗科菲耶夫《罗密欧与朱丽叶序曲》 [usually plural] ~ (to sb) a suggestion or an action by which sb tries to make friends, start a business relationship, have discussions, etc. with sb else 友好姿态；建议◆He began making overtures to a number of merchant banks. 他开始主动同一些投资银行接触。🔊🔊