tune Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
    melodic phrase; air; melodic line; strain; melody; line.
    • she was humming an air from Beethoven
  2. noun the property of producing accurately a note of a given pitch
    • he cannot sing in tune
    • the clarinet was out of tune
  3. noun the adjustment of a radio receiver or other circuit to a required frequency
  4. verb adjust for (better) functioning
    tune up.
    • tune the engine
  5. verb adjust the pitches of (musical instruments)
    tune up.
    • My piano needs to be tuned

WordNet

Tune noun
Etymology
A variant of tone.
Definitions
  1. A sound; a note; a tone. "The tune of your voices." Shak.
  2. (Mus.) (a) A rhythmical, melodious, symmetrical series of tones for one voice or instrument, or for any number of voices or instruments in unison, or two or more such series forming parts in harmony; a melody; an air; as, a merry tune; a mournful tune; a slow tune; a psalm tune. See Air. (b) The state of giving the proper, sound or sounds; just intonation; harmonious accordance; pitch of the voice or an instrument; adjustment of the parts of an instrument so as to harmonize with itself or with others; as, the piano, or the organ, is not in tune.
    Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh. Shak.
  3. Order; harmony; concord; fit disposition, temper, or humor; right mood.
    A child will learn three times as much when he is in tune, as when he . . . is dragged unwillingly to [his task]. Locke.
Tune transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Tuned ; present participle & verbal noun Tuning
Definitions
  1. To put into a state adapted to produce the proper sounds; to harmonize, to cause to be in tune; to correct the tone of; as, to tune a piano or a violin. " Tune your harps." Dryden.
  2. To give tone to; to attune; to adapt in style of music; to make harmonious.
    For now to sorrow must I tune my song. Milton.
  3. To sing with melody or harmony.
    Fountains, and ye, that warble, as ye flow, Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise. Milton.
  4. To put into a proper state or disposition. Shak.
Tune intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To form one sound to another; to form accordant musical sounds.
    Whilst tuning to the water's fall, The small birds sang to her. Drayton.
  2. To utter inarticulate harmony with the voice; to sing without pronouncing words; to hum. R.

Webster 1913