Overture

Definitions

1. An opening; a recess or chamber.
   obsolete
2. Disclosure; discovery; revelation.
   obsolete
3. An approach or proposal made to initiate communication, establish a relationship etc.
   often, plural
4. A motion placed before a legislative body, such as the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
   Scotland
5. A musical introduction to a longer piece of music or a dramatic work (such as a play, an opera, or a motion picture).
6. A medley of themes from a larger work, such as an opera or musical, typically played at the beginning but sometimes played at any part of the work or performed as a standalone piece.

Equivalents

30 more languages

العربيةافتتاحيةاِفْتِتاحِيّةالمقدّمةفتح+ 1 more

Azərbaycan diliuvertüra

Българскипредложениеувертюра

Bosanskiuvertiraпредлогувертира

Catalàobertura

Češtinapředehra

Danskouverture

Ελληνικάδιάβημαεισαγωγήουβερτούραπροοίμιοπροσέγγισηπρόταση+ 3 more

Eestiavamäng

فارسیاوورتور

Suomialkusoittoavaustunnusteluuvertyyri+ 1 more

Hrvatskiuvertiraпредлогувертира

Magyarnyitány

Italianointroduzioneouverturepreludio

日本語序曲

Қазақ тіліувертюра

Кыргызчаувертюра

Македонскипредлогувертира

Nederlandsvoorstel

Polskiuwertura

Portuguêsabertura

Românăuvertură

Русскийинициативапредложениеувертюра

Српскиuvertiraпредлогувертира

Svenskaouvertyruvertyr

Türkmençeuwertýura

Tagalogoberturapasakalye

Türkçeuvertür

Українськаувертюра

O'zbekchauvertyura

Examples

“c. 1612', George Chapman, A Hymne to Hermes the cave's inmost overture”

“It was he That made the overture of thy treasons to us.”

“overture of friendship”

“Shortly afterwards the North Eastern Railway made overtures for the purchase⟳ of the Blyth & Tyne system, and the directors of the latter were then disposed to sell⟳, but, in view⟳ of their excellent dividend record⟳, stood out for a good price.”

“Sarkozy gave a defiant speech, going on the offensive and betraying no hint of having been beaten. He styled the result⟳ as a "crisis" vote⟳, by a French population which was "suffering". In a clear overture to Le Pen's voters, and the extreme-right motto of loving France, he said: "I call⟳ on all French people who put⟳ love⟳ of their country above partisan considerations, to unite⟳ and join⟳ me."”

“My mother had no choice; one did not turn⟳ down such an overture from the regent.”

“The overture was almost at a close⟳; and silence being now more effective than any thing that he could urge⟳ in favour of the play⟳, Courtenaye went behind the scenes:...”

“The paradoxical use⟳ of an overture at the end⟳ of a concert occasionally gave rise⟳ to satire in the musical press⟳.”

CEFR level